Irish rugby commentator Michael Corcoran has talked up the All Blacks while seeking to curtail the northern hemisphere's expectations of the British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand.
England, one of the teams that will likely feature heavily in the Lions squad to be announced next month, will attempt to break the All Blacks record of 18 consecutive tier one victories when they come up against Ireland on Sunday (NZ time).
Should they break the world record, Eddie Jones' England have only earned the opportunity to be seen alongside the world champions according to Corcoran.
"For me as an outsider, I would always say New Zealand have always been number one even when they haven't been world champions," Corcoran told the AM Show.
"They're the team that you measure yourself against."
With Friday marking 100 days until the first Test against the All Blacks at Eden Park, Corcoran downplayed the significance of the Lions tour.
Citing the fact the Lions played one tour every four years as opposed to once every 12 years as it is for the All Blacks, Corcoran said it meant more to New Zealand than it did the four nations that make up the team.
"You've got the four countries coming together, commercially it's probably a huge thing to be fair.
"If you live in New Zealand, it's once every 12 years, it's probably a huge deal, it's a career defining moment perhaps for a number of players who are playing with SR teams at the moment even people involved in the Maori team, they won't get a chance probably again through the course of their career to play against the Lions.
"On this side of the world, it's every four years, there are some people who may go on their second or indeed maybe their third tour."
The All Blacks thrashed the Lions in 2005, the last time they came to these parts with Dan Carter registering one of the best individual performances in a series by any player to date.
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