De Villiers will lead his side on to Forsyth Barr Stadium tonight with a thought for experience in the engine room and a team still finding its feet at this level.
The visitors have had a rough past few weeks with a win, draw and a loss.
The Springboks needed to learn from the tough games over the past weeks and then take it on to the field tonight, the captain said yesterday.
"Experience comes into it and always will, and we are lacking in it ... but you have to learn from it and improve on it, otherwise you probably show you are not good enough to play at this level," he said.
De Villiers is one of four survivors from the side which beat the All Blacks the last time the sides met in Dunedin.
But that game appeared a distant memory for the Stormers midfield back yesterday.
"We have not talked in much detail about 2008. This is a new team and we do not have to go back to it. We have got new goals that we need to do.
"It was a great day back in 2008 ... and there is no reason we can't do it again. But this is a totally different team."
It was far from a foregone conclusion that the Boks would be a distant second tonight, he felt.
"If we did not believe we were in with a show we would not be here and we could all go back home.
"My daughter is 9 months old today, so ... but representing your country is something special.
"We've got to play well, be competitive and use those negatives to get a result tomorrow.
"After the first loss and a couple of disappointing performances the pressure is definitely on.
"In tough times you need to pull together as a team and believe in your systems and where you are heading as a team."
The Boks look sure to use aerial bombardment tonight, and De Villiers had faith in the game plan and the man who will undertake it, first five-eighth Morne Steyn.
"Curiously enough, I thought the All Blacks kicked a lot in the two previous tests. Both teams would like to plan an expansive game and throw the ball around.
It would be great for spectators.
But we have a game plan we believe in and have a structure with that.
"We have spoken about the fact that we have created opportunities which is really positive for us. You do not get too many in a test match so we need to capitalise on them."
Steyn was always under pressure, de Villiers said, but handled it well.
The Springbok captain played at the covered stadium earlier in the year for the Stormers and was looking forward to getting on the ground again.
"I do know it is a good stadium for both backs and forwards to handle the ball. The atmosphere will be intense. It is sold out and will be very loud."
The Springboks were in mourning yesterday after the death of the team's former video analyst, Malome Peter Maimane.
The 41-year-old worked with the team under former coach Pieter de Villiers for four years.
