The 26-year-old Leinster loosehead prop admitted he “hates” facing the Haka, despite loving watching the ceremonial Kiwi war dance on television as a youngster.

Healey said Ireland must not allow the All Blacks’ acclaim to put them off their stride in Dublin tomorrow.

He said: “I don’t really like putting them on a pedestal or any of that.

“I constantly do call them New Zealand in my head, because I don’t like the name the All Blacks.

“It’s something that I don’t like putting any team on a pedestal – when you do that you find yourself below them already without anyone else’s mark.

“So that’s my way of going about it and thinking about it.”

Confirming Ireland have no strategy on how to handle the Haka on Sunday, Healy said he personally tries to play down its significance.

He said: “It’s just the Haka. It’s something I loved when I was a kid and something I hate now.

“People treat it in different ways, but it’s going to be there so you have to just deal with it.

“It’s just you have to stand against it. We don’t play our two anthems in different countries.

“I don’t draw inspiration from it. I think they are entitled to do it, it’s part of their history and I’m certainly not saying they shouldn’t.

“But it’s just how I treat it myself.”

Healy believes Ireland boast enough standout stars to compete with New Zealand’s stellar squad, but said any chance of victory this weekend must be built around the collective.

He said: “We do have a strong group but we don’t look at it as individuals, neither would Brian O’Driscoll or Paul O’Connell, what they do is to benefit the greater cause of the team.

“We look to do our own jobs, but it’s do your own job so someone else is freed up to do theirs.

“So it’s a bit of a selfless approach we’re trying to bring in.

“You always want to play the best teams and you always want to beat the best. You want to reach the top level, and by doing that you have to beat all the best.

“And I think we’re very close to getting everything right.”