Playing Namibia will be exactly the same as playing South Africa, England or any other rugby heavyweight and the All Blacks were treating their Pool B clash with the lowest-ranked side at the World Cup as such, center Anton Lienert-Brown said on Saturday.

The All Blacks are expected to comfortably account for the southern Africans at Tokyo Stadium on Sunday and put one foot in the quarterfinals.

The three-time world champions are projected to win Pool B but could still be pipped in the more than unlikely event that Italy records its first victory over Steve Hansen¡¯s side next week in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, with a bonus point.

New Zealand highlighted its ruthless streak when it ran in nine tries against Canada in Oita on Wednesday to record a 63-0 victory, the highest score at the tournament so far and Lienert-Brown said the All Blacks are likely to be as focused on Sunday.

¡°Every week is the same. The biggest (lesson) for me over the years is that my personal standards matter the most,¡± he told reporters.

¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who we come up against, it¡¯s about me playing to the best of my ability. Whether that¡¯s South Africa, Namibia, England or whoever it is.

¡°It¡¯s important that you go out there and you have prepared yourself to the best you can to perform for the team.

¡°We have prepared very well for this game, just like we have prepared for South Africa.¡±

Lienert-Brown will join Jack Goodhue in the centers for the third different midfield combination in the tournament.

Goodhue played for 40 minutes against Canada, after recovering from a hamstring injury, with Sonny Bill Williams, while Ryan Crotty and Lienert-Brown played together against the Springboks in the opening match.

After years of stability in the midfield with Conrad Smith and Ma¡¯a Nonu playing more than 60 tests together, Hansen has chopped and changed his squad during the current World Cup cycle and never settled on a first-choice combination.

Assistant coach Ian Foster, however, said there was no great mystery as to what was the preferred combination, with game plans and opposition proving the defining factor.

¡°We¡¯ve always said we¡¯ve got five great midfielders,¡± Foster said, including Ngani Laumape in the mix.

¡°Through chance or injury or selection over the last couple of years, we¡¯ve mixed and matched the combinations for a reason and we¡¯re delighted with whatever options we¡¯ve got.

¡°We¡¯ve got different strengths, different players, and we¡¯re excited about this one.

¡°We¡¯ve got some great options.¡±