Crunch time for the Kurow kid

Will a certain man from Kurow have his career defined in the next month and a-half? Many think so, but the man himself is not buying into that, preferring to look at the big picture.

All Black captain Richie McCaw, on the eve of the first match of the World Cup against Tonga in Auckland tonight, said it was important to not get carried away with the one event.

"It can be something you are remembered for. But when you finish one day, it will not be good or bad for one tournament. You play a lot of years," McCaw said.

"But in saying that this is a World Cup and you want to prove yourself. If you do not go out and do the job at that tournament then it will be something of an annoyance.

"You have to be careful. In the next few weeks it will be at the forefront but when you get older it is put in context.

"But I'm not walking away that it is a pretty big event."

McCaw said the side was fit and ready to go and felt coming off two losses would not affect its momentum.

"You look back at previous tournaments and what has happened previously does not mean much. We've had a good look at ourselves. We are excited about playing and in a good frame of mind for that."

McCaw (30) is playing in his third World Cup, and he admitted they were unique events.

But that did not take away from just doing the job like any other game.

"They [World Cups] add something a bit different and this is an opportunity I'm glad to have. I think that is one of the attitudes I have always had, no matter if you have been around a long time or if this is your first game. You want to go out and perform for the team and tomorrow is no different."

To state the obvious, McCaw has come up short in the past two tournaments, but motivation is not the overwhelming force many would think.

"I've been previously involved in two World Cups when we haven't achieved what we were after. So there is the chance to get another shot. That sticks in the back of your mind.

"But you have got to break it down to doing the job. You've got to approach the game the same. There will be a wee bit of edge to that but you've got to be ready to perform.

"The big thing whenever you take the field is to perform to your absolute best."

Veteran lock Brad Thorn was not getting weighed down by the pressure of playing in a tournament, which has become an obsession to win in New Zealand.

"I see it as an opportunity, something exciting and I want to enjoy it. You can go into the tournament and see it as a burden and all the pressure," Thorn said.

"Or you can go, 'far out what an opportunity. I can give it everything I've got'. And if that happens I can walk away with the team and say we gave it everything we had."

The Tongans are bound to start strongly and players like Thorn will be important to match the physicality of the opposition.

The All Blacks must not be drawn into a battle of big hits and need to be clever enough to find a way around the Pacific Islanders.

The forecast is for a fine start to the tournament tonight.