Beating Argentina, as it was against second-tier Manu Samoa, was never an issue.
I suspect what gets Hansen's goat isn't that his pack was pushed over for two tries from lineouts as much as the Argentines' audacity to circumnavigate the rules.
If anything, the ABs must be quietly pleased an opposition has exposed a porous membrane - better now than at the business end of the cup.
On the flip side, it's a timely red herring to take the heat off the backs who, realistically, should have been the ones under scrutiny in Christchurch.
In defence of the Pumas, no one remembers those who conform to rules.
When underdogs hit the scent of accomplishment, rules become catalysts for breaking from the one-dimensional mould. Toeing the line equals banality.
No doubt, Hansen and Co will fix the lineout, but the cryptic crossword on the cull to 31 for the ABs squad to England remains intriguing although I'll be surprised if winger Cory Jane makes it.
I would have expected the coaching stable to inject newcomers, such as Lima Sopoanga and James Broadhurst, in Christchurch and taken the likes of Sonny Bill Williams and Dan Carter to the high veldt of Johannesburg for Sunday's clash against the Boks, after the Samoa physicality.
Maybe keeping some trade secrets is priority but it'll definitely be baptism of fire for the new kids on the block.
Okay the Rugby Championship match in Brisbane was far from sublime footy but how good was the fan factor, warts and all?
It's understandable the Brisbanites didn't fill every seat after the previous regime's debacle but to have two top-tier nations take a pre-cup game down to the wire is priceless.
Before the game, Wallaby coach Michael Cheika reportedly asked his troops to give the spectators something to savour and I'll be very surprised if the next venue isn't chocker.
Frankly, if the two sides play again in a few weeks the Springboks should win but the Australians have established themselves as the billboard for the unexpected.
They showed passion can be the difference but, more importantly, they exuded intestinal fortitude in pushing the envelope well into added time to defy the pundits.
Brittle scrums, losing out to the Boks' outstanding breakdowns and the isolation and inefficiency of Will Skelton must worry Cheika.
However, his backline is a rough diamond only a few cuts and polish away from becoming a faceted gem.
But it seems Cheika isn't the type who'll die wondering.
He doesn't have any qualms about Cooper's audacious flip pass from behind his back that Kuridrani dropped before staving off the Boks approaching halftime.
"Fine. Tevita takes that ball, he's away. There's no way I'm ever going to tell a player not to do that. Because he can do it and he made the pass," he said.
Kuridrani cannot argue he wasn't expecting a pass from Cooper, fullstop. That sort of play is ingrained in Fijians from the time they start walking.
Oddly enough, Cheika's predecessors, Ewen McKenzie and Robbie Deans, would have nipped that passage of play in the bud under duress and, in doing so, robbed rugby of its magic.
