Opinion: Never mind Retallick, what did ABs and Ockers learn?

Oh to be a fly on the wall in Steve Hansen and Michael Cheika's post-mortem laboratories after another nail-biting test match which did justice to rugby on the global circuit, despite lighting issues delaying the kick-off in Dunedin.

The All Blacks pulled off a Houdini act in the second Bledisloe Cup-winning match on Saturday through a Beauden Barrett try in the 79th minute for the 35-29 victory against Australia after making the bookies reach for the heart pills as they looked all at sea in the first half, although the eventual victors had closed the gulf to 17-14.

When the video analyst pushes the play button this week you'd like to think the stickers for the "world best" players will remain in the media pockets and Cheika's disappointment in finding no gallantry in losing will give way to prudent assessment.

It almost requires the coaches to put themselves in each other's shoes.

Had the Wallabies done the unthinkable they would have been caught in a wave of exaltation and, I fear, a rational review would have been adulterated.

It's fair to say the teams and their parochial spectators would be talking in different dialects.

From New Zealand's perspective, it was a befitting result to honour a patriarch of rugby, the late Sir Colin Meads.

However, Hansen and co will have come away mindful they'll have to revisit some areas that appeared conclusive in the 54-34 Rugby Championship opener in Sydney the previous Saturday.

Perhaps the most obvious one, again, is how good is their midfield?

Sonny Bill Williams never got past idling the most written and talked-about "engine" and, in the few times he revved it up, the stuttering sounds left a lot to be desired.

Counterpart Kurtly Beale had his number and Williams' 60th-minute substitution came far too late although SBW came back on seven minutes later for Ryan Crotty who was down the tunnel for a concussion test.

Which bring us to Crotty. Backline coach Ian Foster declared the centre a "steady Eddy" in the first test but how will he describe him this time?

Does it mean Anton Lienert-Brown and Ngani Laumape should come into play against Argentina, if not the Springboks, in the ongoing experiment?

Player plaudits are best issued in a game like Saturday's one where the opposition offer resistance.

Wallaby veteran Tevita Kuridrani, who was clearly more park-savvy than fellow Fijian Samu Kerevi, proved to be a handful in combination with Beale.

What can fans take from Damian McKenzie's so-so stint at fullback, especially when you have counterpart Israel Folau clearly the best exponent under high balls?

With Israel Dagg returning, will he go to fullback in Ben Smith's absence or is Hansen game enough to chuck in McKenzie at first five-eighth, push Barrett to fullback and Dagg to the wing?

Barrett simply isn't dictating play from his pivotal position, not that the first-half lethargy is entirely his making.

For the record, winger Reiko Ioane shows why he has more than just the need for speed and why Julian Savea is out.

His ability to run oblique angles, instead of predictable flatliners, and willingness to come off the flanks to keep the markers guessing will test any defence.

Despite Hansen's defiance on citings, Retallick was lucky to remain on the field in the 23rd minute even though Welsh referee Nigel Owens and the TMO couldn't find culpability in how Wallaby Ned Hanigan was up-ended as both players lay on the ground.

Commentator Justin Marshall's perception of "it's just an awkward position" comes under scrutiny when replays show the ABs lock had tip-tackled Hanigan as he tried to pick himself up from the preceding tackle.

Again in the 66th minute, when Aussie halfback Will Genia scored a try to nudge his side ahead 22-21, Retallick took out Aussie captain Michael Hooper in anticipation of a pass coming through although the sideline distraction of a "wrong number" from the sideline official for Rob Simmons coming off the park rather than Rory Arnold became a timely facade for not going up to the TMO.

Crotty taking out Folau in the 27th minute without the ball had to go down as a technical foul as much as Hanigan obstructing in a laboured run back from an offside position to deny the hosts a try 3m from the line. Both should have received yellow cards.

Cheika venting his spleen is understandable because another flogging and the Ockers would have made him walk the plank.

Owens and his sidekicks did a splendid job and the Aussie coach needs to quickly turn his focus on why the Green-and-Golds' scrum found itself back-pedalling and the reception committee unable to take clean balls in the air every time the ABs kicked off.

The Aussies' front row should book a date for a facelift, with hooker Stephen Moore and prop Allan Ala'alatoa looking shaky.

Pivot Bernard Foley's points-kicking boot could easily have been the difference so who is the back-up when he's that frigid?

Also, should Nick Phipps be on the bench at all and should discarded Quade Cooper shuffle up, if Cheika's not game enough to give the Tokoroa terror a starting stint in an area that is their Achilles heel?

You see, the ABs didn't just make mistakes, they were coerced into making them - as the Wallabies were in the first test.