Resilient All Blacks come of age

Dan Carter goes in for the match-sealing try against the Wallabies last night. Photo / Getty Images

It's one thing to be crowned champions and another to be crowned champions and really deserve it.

There can't be any doubt - the All Blacks deserved this title. They had to weather a furious Wallaby onslaught for 50 minutes and somehow managed to suck it all up and blow it right back.

They also had to weather a brilliant and relentless last five minutes from the Wallabies who, with two minutes remaining, sneaked back in touch with a Ryan Cross try.

When a careless spillage by an All Black forward gave Australia one last chance - with the hooter having sounded - they so nearly pulled off the impossible. It made for what Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson refers to as "squeaky bum time".

It was a colossal offensive effort and was only repelled by a bigger defensive response.

At the heart of that effort was Rodney So'oialo, who had seemingly cloned himself prior to kick-off. The big No 8 has his detractors, but they will have been left speechless by the occasional captain's contribution.

There will also be a stampede to forgive Piri Weepu his previous sins.

The halfback came off the bench and added a direct threat that Jimmy Cowan wasn't quite posing and it was enough to give the All Blacks the momentum they needed round the fringes.

Yet it wasn't really a night for individuals - it was the collective passion and organisation that saw the All Blacks blast their way back into a test they had threatened to meekly slide out of.

When it looked as if they were about to come spectacularly off the rails, as they had in Sydney, they dug deep and found the belief and composure to rattle the Wallabies.

Instead of sinking without a trace, the All Blacks indulged in their own version of blitzkrieg, scoring three quick-fire tries mid-way through the second half that not only put them out of sight, but also destroyed any confidence the Wallabies once had.

If ever there was a point in a side's development where you could say they came of age, this was it.

The pressure was intense, the game was frantic, both sides were desperate. But only one found the clinical edge. Only one side found the accuracy and the relentless intensity when they needed it.

And it was a good job they did step up in the final half hour, otherwise they really would have been facing an inquiry this morning.

It wouldn't have just been because of the loss, it would have been the ease with which they let the Wallabies get into a commanding position.