New Zealand assistant coach Ian Foster has insisted that his side will not be distracted by departing players as they aim to retain their Rugby World Cup crown.

Key figures such as Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and Keven Mealamu are all officially into their final week as All Blacks players.

Foster claims that this is merely a side issue at this stage, though, with attention firmly fixed on next weekend's final against Australia at Twickenham.

"It's a Rugby World Cup final," he is quoted as saying by The Guardian. "We've talked about this particular game for a long, long time. We've wanted to be here, we've had to work hard to be here.

"Now for all the team, whether they're thinking of moving on or not, it's only about the here and the now. This is the moment. There'll be plenty of time afterwards to talk about people.

"We don't want to waste this opportunity, so we're putting everything we can into doing the only thing we can, which is to prepare well day by day."

Captain McCaw has been cleared to play in the final after escaping a citation.