Forward continuity key to All Blacks

For 20 seconds the pre-match talk of there being nothing so dangerous as a wounded Springbok appeared on the mark. And then for the remainder of last night's game that hope was exposed as hogwash - the obligatory patter of sport that ironically talks honesty on the field but happily swallows any old guff off it.

If the All Blacks really were so fearful of the threat posed by a ragged and strife-ridden South African team, how come they selected Scott Hamilton, Sam Tuitupou and Neemia Tialata?

The answer was simple. This All Black coaching panel know that despite the contrary pre-match protestations in the professional era, the Springboks have provided scant evidence of harbouring a fearsome pride. The ABs have twice put 50 points on them in the past 10 years, England have done it once, and Australia were a point away from doing it last week.

There have been numerous 20-point losses to the same opponents, as well as defeats against France, Wales, Ireland and, shame of all shame, the Boks have even lost to Scotland.

The truth, as much as it hurts the various generations of New Zealanders who have spent late nights huddled around the radio only to have their hearts trampled by the fearsome green jersey, is that South Africa are no longer one of rugby's superpowers. The days of that wonderful rivalry are, sadly, gone. And the reality of South Africa's limitations cannot be ignored in assessing last night's All Black performance.

South Africa are a side that cling to one trick - a rush defence that fires up on the outside to force the runners back into the heavy traffic. That was all they could throw at the All Blacks last night and once the hosts had worked out that could be countered by loading the runners on either side of the ball carrier, it become a question of how big the margin of victory was going to be.

It would be wrong, though, to believe it was just a matter of knowing the strategy. There was enormous skill in some of the interchange work between the forwards. Not so long ago it seemed as if too many forwards were keen on the impossible offloads - now there is an innate knowledge of when it is on, and everyone follows the ball, prepared for it to suddenly jump into their arms.

That continuity prevented the Springboks from achieving their aim of using the rush defence to displace the ball carrier from his team-mates. That became a critical issue for the visitors, as they rely on creating momentum without the ball. They kind of have to really as they have little idea how to go forward with the ball.

It would be cruel to pay the Boks the ultimate insult of suggesting they also have little idea how to scrummage. They were under pressure in set pieces but that is because the All Blacks are arguably the strongest scrummaging side in the world.

Carl Hayman didn't appear to be aware there was 125kg burrowing into him and Tialata showed why scrum doctor Mike Cron gets a little squeaky in the voice when allowed to discuss the potential of the Wellingtonian. But while Cron and forwards coach Steve Hansen could watch proceedings with a little glow, backs coach Wayne Smith might not have been so comfortable.

There was, as there has been in several tests now, some pretty hard to understand tactical kicking. Part of the gripe is that it was overdone. This is a side that looks a million dollars when it keeps the ball alive and chances its arm from deep. The other part of the gripe is that much of the kicking is inaccurate. Too many bombs were hit long, leaving South African fullback Percy Montgomery an age to catch it and then wind up his own booming left peg.

At least, though, Dan Carter has found his goalkicking boots again. He vowed to find his rhythm after a difficult night in Christchurch against the Wallabies and that is exactly what he did, and that ultimately has been the key to this side's development. They identify their weaknesses and then set about rectifying them - if only the Boks could do the same.