That may lead to front-liners not being selected to travel in the Tri-Nations as the coaching staff looks to get players ready for the most important tournament this year, the World Cup.
Hansen and the All Black squad assembled in Dunedin yesterday to begin preparations for the first test of the year, against Fiji at Carisbrook on Friday night.
The squad trained at University Oval yesterday afternoon and would have another training session today at Carisbrook, which is open to the public from 11am.
Hansen said this week was about preparation and getting that right so the side could play well on Friday night.
"You've got to concentrate on your own abilities to prepare and do what is right as a team and as an individual . . . You've got to take the attitude they [Fiji] will be quality opposition. But it is about what we do, what we can control," Hansen said.
"We can control how we prepare and we can control our performance on the night through that preparation. What we can't control is what Fiji does. We're better concentrating on ourselves."
He said not much could be taken out of the win by Samoa against the Wallabies on Sunday, although it gave the Wallabies a good wake-up call and the All Blacks with Samoan heritage took great pride from the win.
The All Black side will be named tomorrow and it appears a few Crusaders will be on the bench, having played a lot of rugby.
One of the things management had to make sure of was to allow those players who had had "an emotional trip, as well as the physical trials of a long campaign", time out, Hansen said.
"Super 15 has been tremendously physical, more than anyone expected. Throw in that and the emotional toll of not having a home fixture, having to travel all the time and the emotional toll of having earthquakes regularly up there - those guys have been through an lot.
"To allow them take a step back and a breath and regather themselves is going to be hugely important if we want them to be in good form going into the World Cup.
"We have to be smart in what we do. That might be give them a bit of space early in the Tri-Nations, give them space later in the Tri-Nations. Potentially, they may not travel."
He acknowledged players from the Crusaders may want to play in the game on Friday night as it was to raise funds for Christchurch earthquake victims, but it was more about the whole season.
Team management had met players and discussed individual needs for the coming season.
Hansen said it was essential someone such as Kieran Read, with a young family and having a huge workload in the Super 15, was managed right.
The All Blacks were the pacesetters last year, winning all but one test, but Hansen said playing the same style as last year would not cut the mustard this season.
"If we do what we did last year then we'll probably get second. We've got to build on our game. [There will be] times when we can run it out, and other times where we take a different approach. It is about growing our game to another level and asking questions of the opposition as they will ask us about our game.
"I think if we do not get the breakdown area ruled properly there will be a lack of confidence taken into contact, so there will be a lot of kicking."He said sides such as the Springboks would base their games around kicking, and it was still a good way to apply pressure.
Hansen, whose house was "munted" - as he termed it - in the September earthquake last year, was urging people to attend on Friday night, saying he could not think of a better cause.
"Every ticket sold from here on in is money that goes to Canterbury. It has been tough.
"Coming from there myself, it has been a tough old time - particularly those people out in the east, in those red zone areas." For those who had lost their houses, it was not only tough from a monetary point of view, it was emotional, too.
"If people can come out and support a fellow New Zealander, that would be great."
