But got home they did and for that they should be hugely proud. It was brutal, fast, no-mercy rugby from both teams and, while the Boks may have been poor in Australia last week, they showed they are a rising force.
There was balance and mix in their game and they were one play away from winning. But as good as the visitors were, it was the All Blacks who won again for the ninth time in their last 11 outings against South Africa.
And it was conviction that got them home. Conviction that if they believed in their game plan, they would eventually wear down a South African side that was about as corrosive as diamond. There was virtually no give in the Boks - certainly not from No 8 Duane Vermeulen who gave a masterclass around the tackled ball. He was seriously painful, quite brilliant at picking off turnovers and killing opportunities.
Nevertheless, the All Blacks persisted with their sweeping movements. They persisted with using Brodie Retallick as an early receiver around whom the forwards ran angled balls back into the set up. From there it was away to the backs and the intent was obvious.
The All Blacks were doing what they could to raise the tempo and run some fatigue into the Boks.
But they couldn't do it was well as they wanted. Partly that was about the Africans being so strong at the breakdown. Partly it was because the All Blacks made mistakes.
Aaron Cruden in action during the Rugby Championship match between the All Blacks and the Springboks in Wellington. Photo / Getty Images
The All Blacks had no dramas getting into the South African 22. It was actually all a bit of doddle getting into the right position.
There was judicious use of some punchy running from the forwards - the angled ball to the second runner was a go to option - and some astute kicking.
But the accuracy and precision required to get the ball safely over the line - that was missing. Or rather, it wasn't always possible because the Boks defended with severity and ferocity in front of their goal-line.
They smothered ball carriers, shut down the space and fired into the breakdown to slow things down. To dominate territory like that and not the scoreboard - it can be a killer. So too was the pressure the Boks were exerting on the touchline.
Victor Matfield isn't quite the player he once was, but he's lost nothing as an aerial forward. If anything, he's even better now than he was in his pre-retirement stint and it was obvious the All Blacks were struggling for confidence there.
Late in the first half they pulled half their backline into an attacking lineout and chucked a wobbly, flapper to the front that reeked of nerves and uncertainty.
That's the battle playing South Africa - dealing with the pressure. They asked questions of the All Blacks in every department and made life harder again by getting maximum value from the scoreboard.
They had barely featured in the game when they scored their first try. It was a lightning raid and so beautifully done. When they next had a decent attack in the second half, Handrie Pollard had no qualms falling into the pocket and nudging over the dropped goal.
The crowd howled but smart test football is about winning games and to pot with how the points are actually taken.
New Zealand 14 (R. McCaw tries; A. Cruden 3 pens) South Africa 10 (C. Hendricks tries; H. Pollard con, dg). Halftime: 6-7.
