Scotland great Gavin Hastings says the All Blacks' tour of Britain and Ireland is not worthy of Grand Slam status.
Hastings, who played for Edinburgh against the touring 1983 All Blacks, said the absence of midweek matches meant the tour was "not a proper grand slam".
Hastings said Graham Mourie's 1978 grand slam was the real deal because they played 18 games during two months - not just four tests.
The difficultly of the task can be measured against how many teams have failed - seven.
"To me what they are doing is not touring," Hastings said of Graham Henry's squad.
He's qualified to comment.
The former fullback played 61 games for Scotland and led the British and Irish Lions to New Zealand in 1993, captaining them to victory at Athletic Park in the second test.
He was also played in all three tests on the Lions' tour to Australia in 1989.
He was amazed and disappointed that the All Blacks were not playing more midweek games than the match against Munster in Limerick on November 18.
"They have a squad of 35 players so why can't they play two games a week?
"If one of the top players gets injured, well that's tough, but that, to mind, is a proper grand slam."
Despite his criticism, Hastings thought the All Blacks would beat Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England, though he expected it would be a tougher challenge than many are predicting.
The All Blacks have achieved the grand slam only twice in 1978 under Mourie and three years ago when Tana Umaga was the captain and Graham Henry the coach.
Having watched Australia beaten 19-14 in Hong Kong, Wallaby wing Lote Tuqiri predicted Henry and Richie McCaw would repeat the grand slam feat.
He agreed with Hastings that too often Scotland, Wales and Ireland in particular lost because they ran out with a defeatist attitude.
"I think there's an awful lot of times Scotland teams have gone into a match against the All Blacks knowing or believing that they don't have a chance of victory," Hastings said.
"Clearly if that is the case they are never going to win the match. So this team has to find some thread to hang their belief on.
"It was always that way for me as a player and it remains with me now as a former player. I hope that Scotland still have that."
Tuqiri wasn't convinced they have.
"Up there everyone thinks 'oh bloody hell it's the All Blacks'. Once teams try not to think like that they will give themselves a chance," he said.
"But some teams in the past have been beaten before they've played. We've done that at times too, but we've changed our mindset."
Tuqiri, who missed the test in Hong Kong because he is still getting over knee surgery, was convinced the All Blacks "won't drop a game".
"It will be tough and England will certainly be tough at Twickenham, but I don't see them losing.
"They are too strong, they have a good squad, and it's a young squad. They were successful in the Tri-Nations and are the No1 team in the world."
