Hansen was part of coach Graham Henry's staff four years ago when the All Blacks were knocked out in the quarter-final stages by France -- their worst performance at a World Cup.
The team's failure then was blamed on players not being ready for the demands of an inspired French team after breezing through an easy pool with a constantly rotating team but Hansen said things will be different this time around.
"I don't know that you will see the same 15 totally, I mean we just cant do that we don't think, but you might see the same 10 or 12 on a regular basis," Hansen told reporters at the team's hotel in central Auckland.
The All Blacks inaugural World Cup champions were a settled side that had few changes in their lineup over the six games in the tournament and the same formula was used in 1995 when the team made the final before losing to South Africa in extra time.
Hansen accepted, though, that with the speed of the professional game now and the increased regularity that players get injured meant the All Blacks plan may have to be adapted.
"We have a group of players that are going to play a lot of the games and there is going to be opportunities for some other people if we have injuries, we need people to be fit for example so we have got to make sure that some, if not all of the squad, get some rugby and how we do that is going to be interesting."
"We have got some form of idea of what we would like to do (with team selections) but there is flexibility within that because we don't know what injuries we are going to get. There is a basic plan but it is flexible."
The All Blacks will name their team for Friday's opening World Cup match against Tonga on Wednesday and Hansen said prop Tony Woodcock, who trained on his own on Monday, may miss out.
"We are hoping he is going to be ok, he got a bit of a twinge in his hamstring so they (doctors) think it is just scar tissue from the previous hamstring (injury) he had a month ago," the former Wales coach said.
Friday's match at Eden Park will bring to a close a prolonged build up to the World Cup, the biggest sporting event New Zealand has hosted, and Hansen hoped the opening match can provide some thrills to wow the fans and kick-start the tournament as it did in 1987.
Back then, All Black winger John Kirwan collected the ball from deep in the opening game and set off a surging, weaving, unstoppable run through what appeared to be the entire Italian team before scoring a unforgettable try .
"I think it is really important that in the opening match of the tournament, and for the tournament's sake, you think back to 87 and the Italy game and the John Kirwan try, something magical in the game happens and it will start the tournament well.
"It might be Tonga that does it but hopefully it is us."
Even though the All Blacks are expected to cruise past Tonga on Friday, Hansen spoke highly of the skills the Pacific Islanders posses.
"We are expecting them to come out and really play with a lot of passion and a lot of emotion and we have just got to meet that passion and emotion and play well ourselves.
"In their squad they have got a really good forward combination and all of them have played in Europe and they are good rugby players and we just have to respect them and expect the unexpected from them."
