New Zealanders, who for so long saw their team as a dominant force, may have to get used to defeat on a more regular basis, according to All Blacks legend Wayne Shelford.

On the back of the All Blacks third loss in 2009 - a 19-31 defeat to the Springboks in Durban at the weekend - Shelford told ONE Sport's Craig Stanaway on Monday that such reverses are the new reality.

"We don't want to lose, but we're going to take some losses," said Shelford, nicknamed 'Buck' for his hard-nosed attitude on the field.

"We can't be on song all the time and they are playing 15 Test matches a year.

"We might have carried the world for many, many years as the leading light but we are probably not there at the moment and we've got a band of young men - it takes time."

While the All Blacks are unusually vulnerable through inexperience and injuries Shelford feels the situation is exacerbated by the strength of the current Springbok outfit.

"They are the world champions and I actually think that the team this year [is] better than the team that won the World Cup in 2007 with all the young guys they have bought in [over] the last couple of years.

"I think they are going to be a tough team to beat over this year, over next year and the year after."

But Shelford was quick to point out that it is not all doom and gloom for the men with the silver fern on their chests.

"I'd rather lose now than in 2011 [at the World Cup]."

"We've got two years to prepare for the World Cup in 2011 and hopefully our younger guys will have more experience and they will build as we go through the next two years.

"We will be able to hit the World Cup flying forward, running and everything working well."

As has been pointed out ad nauseam in the media, there is a fine balance between building confidence, combinations and a winning habit and peaking too early in regard to the world cup cycle.

The All Blacks seemed to peak in 2005 and 2006 and were not the same team in exiting early from the 2007 World Cup, much to the shock, dismay and consternation of the Rugby fraternity.

In contrast there is no doubt that two seasons out from the next instalment of the IRB's ultimate competition this All Blacks vintage is very much a work in progress.

Despite this, Shelford remains optimistic that the All Blacks can retain their Tri-Nations crown, though they will need to rely on an unlikely ally.

"I think we need Australia to fire [and] take one of the wins off South Africa.

"It is going to be hard for the South Africans to come here after going through Australia. I think they'll find it really hard."