Optimism is the buzzword of Dave Rennie's budding All Blacks era. As they prepare to confront the Springboks in the first of four Tests, in the toughest challenge of the professional age, Rennie's new-look team must harness every ounce of belief. There is reason for hope, though.
Rassie Erasmus' Springboks start the highly anticipated Greatest Rivalry series overwhelming favourites. How could they not? Five wins from their last six matches against the All Blacks, and having swept every tier one nation in the past year, paints the stark reality of who commands the mantle.
The Boks are back-to-back world champions. Erasmus has built phenomenal depth. The All Blacks last success in South Africa was their improbable victory four years ago when they summoned a defiant response to save Ian Foster's coaching tenure.
Other than the All Blacks preserving Eden Park's fortress status last year, when Ardie Savea conjured a breakdown penalty while defending his line in his 100th Test to seal victory at the death, the Boks have landed one telling blow after another in this traditional heavyweight title fight.
South Africa's last, record 43-10 demolition job on the All Blacks in Wellington last September could leave lingering scars for those involved that night, too.
It doesn't get any tougher in world rugby than this; three Tests against the world champions in their backyard, followed by the money-grabbing fourth match in Baltimore.
Rennie has overseen the All Blacks a mere two months, for three Nations Championship wins at home and three tune up matches against understrength South African franchise teams.
While that compressed timeframe underlines the All Blacks' daunting assignment, they are vastly better placed than at the end of Scott Robertson's two-year tenure.
"We've had plenty of time," Rennie said. "The nice thing about being here is you've got a captured audience. We spend a lot of time together. Culturally, connection wise and the rugby stuff, it's been really good. The group is tight.
"We've got to keep building on that but we're in a good place. We understand the game we're trying to play and what's required. Our ability to now do that under pressure against the best in the world, that will be the test for us in the weekend.
"We'll be ready. We've learnt a lot over the last three games and we've played a lot of players. All bar three of the touring party [Cam Roigard, Will Jordan, Ardie Savea] have got good minutes which is good for us."
Maybe, just maybe, Rennie's new era can challenge the established balance of power.
Rennie's All Blacks are a world removed from Robertson's - both in game style and personnel.
The team for the first Test at Ellis Park is expected to feature as many as eight starting changes from their last embarrassing defeat to the Boks 11 months ago.
New halves pairing Roigard and Ruben Love are among the headline changes.
Roigard, the All Blacks' most influential figure, has only played the Boks once before when he emerged off the bench in their blowout loss at Twickenham prior to the 2023 World Cup. He was, bizarrely, not selected on the bench behind Aaron Smith for the final, with injury then preventing him from starting the four matches since.
Love faces something of a baptism of fire in his first Test against the Springboks in South Africa, at their spiritual home no less. Countering the Boks' notorious rush defence shapes as a defining battleground but Love won't be alone in attempting to exploit space.
Outside Roigard and inside Jordie Barrett, Love has ample familiarity from the Hurricanes championship winning campaign - and an underlying confidence that should ensure he seizes his moment.
Quinn Tupaea, Codie Taylor and Patrick Tuipulotu are others absent from the All Blacks' last clash with the Boks.
While in recent times the All Blacks have struggled to defeat the Boks, their record at Ellis Park evokes encouragement. Three wins from their last five ventures to the Johannesburg stronghold speaks to the All Blacks' liking for playing at altitude.
The Wallabies, in their remarkable comeback from 22-0 to score 38 unanswered points and stun the Boks at Ellis Park last year, offer another example of foreign success at the famed venue.
Rennie's multiphase, up tempo, attacking style will seek to challenge the Boks' conditioning and impose fatigue on the contest.
That quest to play at pace, and to ensure the Boks do not feign injury or intentionally slow the contest, has sparked off-field mind games this week.
While both camps declined the chance to meet English referee Mathew Carley prematch, there's no shortage of public pressure heaped on the man in the middle.
How Carley reacts to Erasmus bringing Jaco Peyper to his first press conference and Boks assistant coach Flexi Jones whinging about the All Blacks' breakdown cleanout and defensive maul tactics could be telling.
Let's hope not, though. The less spotlight on the officials, the better.
This series deserves pride of place rather than the tired off-field shenanigans.
Rennie's record against South African opposition is another reason to believe he can devise a blueprint to stress Erasmus' Boks.
From 2012 to 2017 Rennie's Chiefs defeated South African Super Rugby teams 18 times in 24 matches (75% success). His Wallabies also trumped the world champions in three of four Tests played in Australia in 2021 and 2022.
That doesn't guarantee success, of course. The Boks have evolved since then. But such a record does depict Rennie's inherent knowledge of the South African style.
While the Boks, particularly with Tony Brown in their coaching team, can use the ball when desired, Rennie expects a traditional clash of styles where South Africa attempt to scrum for penalties, pressure the All Blacks through aerial bombardment and continue their world leading conversion rate in the opposition 22 - largely by mauling their way to the line.
The All Blacks will back their set piece to gain parity. With three locks expected in their starting team, they might even fancy their chances of challenging South Africa's lineout.
But their road to transforming the Boks' recent dominance and setting this series alight is through their need for speed.
Let the contrasting battle commence.