The All Blacks players’ fascination with American sport has them abuzz in Chicago and should mean there is no repeat of the rusty start to last year’s season-ending tour.

New Zealand coach Steve Hansen senses excitement among his troops ahead of Saturday’s Test against the United States.

It’s the sort of feeling that can be hard to generate given their constant diet of rugby, particularly when presented with significantly lower-ranked opponents such as the Eagles.

Hansen says the upbeat attitude can be attributed to the historic venue, Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears, which is sold out for its first rugby international.

It has put a spring in the step of players struggling after another gruelling end to their southern hemisphere schedule – away to Argentina and South Africa before lifting once more for a third Bledisloe Cup Test in Brisbane.

“This week is the culmination of a lot of travel and different sleep patterns but coming here has got the guys excited, rather than thinking ‘oh, here we go again’,” Hansen said.

Last November New Zealand never hit their stride on the four-Test tour after opening with a scratchy 54-6 defeat of Japan in front of 27,000 at Tokyo’s modest Prince Chichibu Stadium.

More than double that number will watch this weekend, enhancing Chicago’s sports-mad reputation.

Several All Blacks follow American Football closely along with other US professional sports such as basketball and baseball, which are represented by famous Chicago clubs.

“They’re coming to a place where there’s a heap of sports men and women that they actually respect and have taken an interest in,” Hansen said.

“Chicago is one of the sporting cities of the world and it’s a different feel for us. A good formula for starting a tour.”