Keven Mealamu, a Grand Slam winner in 2005, puts the latest quest for total domination of the four home unions into perspective when he declares: "It's going to be a battle of attrition."

The nuggety hooker isn't wrong. As much as New Zealanders have come to expect the All Blacks accounting for Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England, beating the four of them on their own turf on the same tour has been frustratingly difficult.

In the 103 years since the All Blacks have ventured to the United Kingdom, this will be just the ninth time that the planets have lined up to feature four tests against the four countries.

And there have been just two successes with the 2005 glory matching the efforts of Graham Mourie's 1978 side.

But there are vast differences between the 1978 and 2005 sides and the attempt over the next month.

Mourie's men had to endure an 18-match tour along the way. Graham Henry's 2005 tourists had just four tests to conquer, albeit on consecutive weekends.

Henry's latest All Blacks head off on Monday night with their grand slam attempt seriously complicated by a Bledisloe Cup sideshow against the Wallabies in Hong Kong next weekend. There's also the distraction of a midweek clash with a weakened Munster side, the Heineken Cup champions, nestled between the test against Ireland and Wales.

"I think it will be a tougher challenge," Mealamu told the Sunday Star-Times when asked to compare this quest with the previous mission. "There will be some new faces, add in the test against Australia and the Munster game as well and it looks like a battle of attrition.

"I know the boys are going to be up for every game. We want to win them all. But we have to make sure that everyone is in good shape because with six games it's going to be a lot harder."

In 2005, Henry's All Blacks were at the peak of their powers. They had blitzed the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand with embarrassing ease and went on to reclaim the Tri-Nations trophy.

By the time they arrived in Wales to start their slam they had already signalled that they would be fielding alternate sides from week to week.

This time around though, Henry simply doesn't have the depth that he previously enjoyed. This season's Tri-Nations success has been attained through consistency of selection rather than outright rotation.

Assistant coach Wayne Smith brings some perspective on the assignment and with it a sense that there is certainly a more cut-throat approach from the All Blacks selectors after they were guilty of over-complicating their methods last year with reconditioning and rotation to the demise of the World Cup campaign.

"The first objective is to win and you have to marry that with the need to develop.

"But effectively we are looking to take away a team that can win. These players will want to win in Hong Kong and will want to win a Grand Slam and you have to give them the best chance to do that. But it doesn't mean you stop developing," said Smith.

From Edinburgh it gets progressively tougher.

The stay in Ireland has the Munster element to it where development will be the theme. Then it's a quick turnaround to face Wales in Cardiff, Henry's old team now coached by rival Kiwi Warren Gatland who has already guided them to instant success in the last Six Nations where they beat everyone.

Beyond them lie England who have often been a frustrating opponent at their beloved Twickenham.

The 2005 All Blacks squeaked past the Poms 23-19 to virtually assure the slam with just the final test against Scotland left.

Having England at the end of this tour suggests it could all come down to what happens in London.

Now there's the added pressure of being the inaugural winners of the Hillary Shield, a new trophy initiated in the honour of Sir Edmund Hillary to mark contests between New Zealand and England.

For Kiwis, getting their hands on that shield might be even more appealing than the sacred slam. Nailing them both would be magic.

"We want to bring it home. It will put a bit more pressure on that game," Mealamu admits of the shield. But we have come off a good Tri-Nations campaign. We just need to try to carry that right through the UK," he said.

It looks a strong possibility and one that the bookmakers will certainly fancy. But as seven previous All Blacks vintages have found, it's much easier said than done.