They do not have to look far to maintain those lofty heights.
One just has to look at the outpouring over the death of Sir Colin Meads in the past few days to realise what standards are about.
They are about dignity and hard graft. Doing all the little things that count and keeping those up for as long as you want.
As the All Blacks head into tonight's Bledisloe Cup's match against the Wallabies at Forsyth Barr Stadium, the side is focused and seeking to improve.
And, most importantly, it is motivated - for itself and for those it stands for.
The side is driven to win, to keep hold of the Bledisloe Cup for another year.
It wants to make up for a sloppy last half-an-hour in last week's fixture in Sydney.
There is also the small matter of wanting to pay tribute to the greatest of them all - Sir Colin, who died last Sunday.
Skipper Kieran Read said the slide in the second-half performance last week was a real wake-up call for the team.
``We certainly weren't happy with obviously the last 30 minutes of last week's [game]. It was probably a great kick in the guts for us to start this week off on the right note.
``There are a couple of things outside of our control, with Colin and, obviously, the Bledisloe Cup to treasure from our point of view.''
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Read said there would be a tribute on the All Black jersey with the No5.
Meads was a giant in the All Black jersey - a man who wanted to leave nothing in the tank when he came off the field.
The New Zealand Herald reported on Friday afternoon that each All Black jersey will have Meads' test number - No583 - embroidered on it.
Read said Meads had been talked about this week with the team but a major goal was to win and secure the Bledisloe Cup in the trophy cabinet for another year.
``It would be huge. This is the most important trophy we play for outside of the World Cup. I'm really desperate for it and I want it.''
The side though knows it is not just going to come easy. Australia has dangerous players over the paddock and surely can not play as badly as it did for the first hour last week.
``You just have to look at the footage from the last 20 minutes of the game and we know how dangerous they can be.
``They are hungry and they certainly have a point to prove.
``If we were a more dominant team we would have finished the job but that is something we can improve on.''
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said yesterday his side just had to get out on the park and perform Players could prepare and train hard but ultimately it came down to what happened out on the field.
``It's up to us to write our own chapters if we want to change that attitude around,'' he said.
``Like I've said before, only we can turn that around on the field. We do lots of good stuff away from the field but what counts is on the field for everybody. We know that.
``We've got to let our game do the talking tomorrow. That's it.''
Cheika could look back to history for some inspiration or use it to wallow in further depression.
The Wallabies have not won in New Zealand for 16 years - but that last victory was in Dunedin - at Carisbrook - in 2001.