Scotland halfback Greig Laidlaw is fully aware of the challenge his team are up against at Murrayfield on Sunday.
He made his test debut against the All Blacks in 2010 when coming off the bench in a 49-3 thrashing at the stadium and he also played in the 51-22 demolition at the hands of the All Blacks two years later.
In those two tests his side conceded 13 tries.Laidlaw, 29, experienced only one victory in his first seven tests - and that was against Ireland. He has not had a particularly easy time of it during his test career, yet there is change in their air as he spoke at Murrayfield today ahead of Sunday's test.
Something is brewing at this stadium on a beautifully fine and clear autumn afternoon in the capital.New Zealander Vern Cotter's arrival as coach has given the rugby scene here a good shake.
Cotter's first test at Murrayfield was last Sunday's 41-31 victory over the Pumas, who recently tasted success over the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship, and for Laidlaw there is plenty to be positive about.
"It certainly won't be easy, that's one word we won't be using this week," he said. "It will be a difficult challenge; we just need to play our game, play with confidence, back each other. We've got to get out there and play with pride and passion and play for one another and really give it a shot. That's our focus for this week - we're not going to die wondering, so to speak.
"Laidlaw added of a Kiwi coach with a different mentality that perhaps the Scots might be used to: "Vern certainly gives the players confidence in training. He's really passionate about Scotland getting back to our roots a little bit... and that's playing the game with guts and determination."
Laidlaw added: "He [Cotter] knows what [the All Blacks] are all about, he knows their culture and the way they like to play the game. That's been good for us, especially me, to be able to speak to Vern and understand what they're all about.
"The halfback, who has also played at first-five during his international career, led the team against Argentina and was one of their best.
He said beating the Pumas had given his side a real lift; the concession of two tries in the final minutes a good lesson in sustaining a performance for the whole match.He also saw enough in the way England pressured the All Blacks at Twickenham to know the visitors are not infallible."England got off the line with good line speed and for periods of the game put them under pressure but they couldn't sustain that for 80 minutes, although certainly the All Blacks played very well in the second half."
