The outgoing All Blacks' coach Steve Hansen has embraced how his team showed honesty and emotion after their World Cup exit.
Talking to media today after arriving back in New Zealand from Japan, Hansen said "you've only gotta look at the stats in New Zealand, the suicides and mental health and it's not great" when asked about the issue.
"Allowing yourself to be vulnerable and show emotion, I think is really important."
It's something the All Blacks' have been doing in recent times, and came to a fore in Japan when the team was away from their families for an extended period.
"I think it's great that these guys are role modelling that you can be emotional and you can be vulnerable."
The All Blacks hooker's family have been on hand during a difficult week.
All Blacks hooker Dane Coles teared up last week when asked about the impact of having his family's support while in Japan.
"It's been good to share that experience with my boys, and my mum and dad. It's been awesome to have them here.
"They're just normal people from Kāpiti who got to go to Japan and watch their son in the World Cup. It's cool to share that experience with them," said Coles.
The All Blacks captain says being a good father is more important than anything that happens on the field.
Birthday cards from Kieran Read's children put the loss to England in the Rugby World Cup semi-final in perspective for the team's capain, which back rower Ardie Savea spoke to 1 NEWS about how he is embracing vulnerability.
"You start to feel how powerful being vulnerable is.
"Once you do it once, you just find that you're starting to grow. Being able to do that's kind of allowed us to grow and really be ourselves", said Savea.
Embracing the imperfections, what Savea calls being vulnerable, is an attitude adopted by a number of key All Blacks this year.
The All Blacks' flanker has been one of the standout performers this year.
"Just the critic in my head, inner talk in my head about you have to do this, you have to be perfect, you have to do this, can't make mistakes," Savea told 1 NEWS.
"That kind of drained me, man, and then obviously with my journey through trying to be a better human, be a better father, husband. It's just allowed me to see the bigger picture in life and to just enjoy rugby for what it is."
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