Job half done for the All Blacks.
As the satisfaction subsides from defending their fortress and attention turns to recovering for the rematch with the Springboks in Wellington, the All Blacks know they must rebuild the ruthless edge that set the tone for the 24-17 victory at Eden Park.
After another typically brutal clash with the Boks, the All Blacks will be forced into at least two starting changes this week, with Codie Taylor ruled out for a mandatory 12-day stand-down for failing his head injury assessment (HIA) and Emoni Narawa sidelined following an early blow to his ribs.
Chiefs hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho will start in Taylor’s absence after replacing him midway through the first half and impressing with his combative ball-in-hand involvement.
Brodie McAlister will deputise for Taukei’aho and prepare for his second test off the bench, after debuting against France in Hamilton in July. The All Blacks are also expected to call in George Bell as additional cover.
Sevu Reece could be recalled – after he was dropped for Eden Park – to replace the injured Narawa. Other options include shifting Rieko Ioane to the right edge and injecting Caleb Clarke, the All Blacks’ best aerial exponent, in the No 11 jersey – or starting as they finished on Saturday night, with Damian McKenzie at fullback and Will Jordan on the right wing.
The other potential tweak could come at halfback, with Noah Hotham pushing for an earlier-than-expected return, possibly from the bench, after recovering from his ankle injury.
Otherwise, though, expect largely the same team to roll out in Wellington as the All Blacks attempt to clinch the Freedom Cup they lost in South Africa last year.
“I’m expecting a big response from us. This is a unique opportunity to play two tests against South Africa in New Zealand,” All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan said. “Now we’ve got a chance to win the Freedom Cup so that will be talked about this week.”
In the tick column, the All Blacks left Eden Park with confirmation that Simon Parker is exactly the defensive presence they desire at blindside flanker, after leading the tackle count with 15 – many of those with a dominant edge.
Parker gives the All Blacks loose forward trio the ideal balance with Wallace Sititi’s ball-carrying – Sititi carried a game-high 13 times – and quick feet at the line offering a telling point of difference alongside the talismanic Ardie Savea.
After a mixed experiment at blindside, Tupou Vaa’i also proved why he was among the All Blacks’ best last year in his preferred locking role.
Performance-wise, there was a lot to like about the way the All Blacks forward pack fronted physically and their two early set-piece strikes, where assistant coaches Jason Holland and Bryn Evans received the plaudits, that broke the Boks open early.
But as the review looms into view, the focus will fall on how they let two 14-point second-half leads slip to stand on the brink of defeat in a cliffhanger finish.
While they held on to snap a four-match losing run against the Springboks, a combination of late penalties and turnovers will be fingered in the quest to ensure, should the All Blacks savour another commanding position, they are more ruthless in closing out the contest.
“I liked the intensity we brought from the start. It had a bit of everything. We adapted well but there were parts where we took the pressure off. It was on a knife-edge but that’s test footy, it swings so quick,” Ryan said.
“You often hear the saying ‘pressure is a privilege’ but the reality is pressure is a lifestyle when you’re in the All Blacks. That’s the way it’s got to be.
“There was a lot on this one but we’ve got to make sure we build that edge and some this week. That will start with being brutally honest in the review around a couple of opportunities where we let them back in the game.”
One of those centres on the second-half scrum where the All Blacks were shunted off their ball to ultimately concede the Boks’ first try.
With the scrum a source of pride, the All Blacks will be dented by their performance in that high-stakes battleground.
“We were a bit messy, especially on our ball,” Ryan said. “There was one where they climbed into us and we lost our footing and we tried to get back up but it was too late. That will be a never-again moment, that one. We’ve got to be a lot better with our control.”
No two tests are ever the same but with rain forecast for Wellington, the Springboks are unlikely to radically alter their blueprint.
After an error-prone performance, particularly around their lineout, Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus will demand vast improvements as the World Cup champions seek a bounce-back response.
The All Blacks know what’s coming. They know where they must get back to mentally, while cooking up a few more tactical set-piece special plays.
After successive losses in South Africa last year, there should be no issues recapturing the dogged desire to complete the job and shut out the old foes.
Liam Napier is a Senior Sports Journalist and Rugby Correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast.