But more on that later.
Firstly, we should take a moment to highlight three reasons to be extra excited about the clash with England at Forsyth Barr Stadium tomorrow night.
The most obvious is that it heralds a bold new era for the All Blacks.
Ian Foster, so inextricably linked to the previous regimes under Steve Hansen and Graham Henry, is out and a free-thinking, surfing, breakdancing bloke called Razor is in the hottest seat in New Zealand sport.
We must forgive the fact Scott Robertson led the Crusaders to an era of utter dominance — well, we will forgive him eventually — and embrace his energy, his ideas and his connection to players.
How will he go in the demanding transition from Super Rugby to the All Blacks? And what impact will his new-look coaching staff have? It is impossible to predict accurately, but it should be interesting to watch.
The other thing that is always exciting about the first test of a season — indeed the first season following a Rugby World Cup, after so many players seek fresh pastures — is the chance to see some fresh (should any be selected) or returning faces.
New All Blacks mean new dreams, new stories, new skills. While there are no new caps in the squad tomorrow, there are stories of redemption, of injury comebacks and of restored faith.
Finally, if it was not thrilling enough to see the mighty men in black in Dunedin, the team they are facing are basically as good as opposition gets.
It’s England! Big, bad, blooming England, old chap.
Granted, their football team are rather painful to watch, and they seem determined to churn through prime ministers at the rate of one or two a year, but they are rugby royalty. Rare visitors, too, having played the All Blacks just three times in Dunedin, although they had three games here during the 2011 World Cup.
These Englishmen are good. Big and physical, as always, but also skilled and quick, and seemingly quite united under coach Steve Borthwick.
And this leads into some glass-half-empty prognostications.
England are GOOD. They might have won just twice on New Zealand soil, but they look primed and ready to spoil the party at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
You will recall they pumped the All Blacks in the 2019 World Cup semifinal. They also held the All Blacks to a draw in 2022, and beat Ireland in the Six Nations.
They are in real match-fit form, having a test against Japan under their belts, while the All Blacks have had barely a week to prepare for their first test in eight months.
And while new and returning faces are welcome, the All Blacks will also have a heap missing. No Aaron Smith, no Sam Whitelock, no Brodie Retallick, no Richie Mo’unga, no Will Jordan, no Shannon Frizell.
We don’t really know how this test is going to play out. But the atmosphere should be grand, and the action intense.
Dunedin will not get these tests as of right once Christchurch’s fancy new stadium opens for competition, so savour it.
