But this part of the world loves tradition and being mired in the past and, possibly in some parts, loves being the indignant underdog with everything to prove.
Whatever the state of the game in 2015, whether there was a gap or not, there certainly isn't one now between the teams ranked three to 10.
Scotland, having come so close to beating New Zealand last week, destroyed Australia at Murrayfield.
Ireland enjoyed a clean sweep against the Boks, Fiji and Argentina, and Wales did enough to show they remain a good side with the ability to play plenty of good rugby.
They might only be lacking the killer instinct — the innate ability to finish what they start.
And that's what the past few weeks have made clear — that the All Blacks remain that bit more resilient and lethal than most other teams.
In these last three weeks, they have found a way to absorb pressure and then pounce. They are the masters at taking their chances and making the scoreboard inaccurately reflect the flow and momentum.
It doesn't invite glowing praise necessarily but it takes a quality team to navigate three tests in consecutive weeks and win the lot. It takes a quality team to win, as they did in France, by 20 points and 15 in Wales, having been under so much pressure for so much of the game.
"[Yesterday] was certainly top five this year in terms of toughest tests," All Blacks flanker Sam Cane said of the clash against Wales. "These Northern Hemisphere teams love playing at home and for people back home, you can't put into words what that is like unless you've been here and experienced it.
"They're special and without doubt they give them a lift. We have seen that in the first half of the last two weeks: both teams came out and took it to us and it hasn't been until the second half that we've been able to grind it out. It's a tough place to play."
Wales coach Warren Gatland said that despite the scoreline pushing out, he feels the margins between the top teams are now smaller.
"Look, I think gone are the days — we saw this last weekend and this where the All Blacks could come to Scotland or Wales and put out a second string side and still win.
"There is still a gap but we would like to think it is closing a little bit. We've got a big week next week taking on South Africa and we've beaten them the last two times we've played them, so if we can beat them three in a row, it would be the first time a Welsh side has beaten South Africa three in a row."
There may, then, be a small gap between the All Blacks and everyone else. Scotland and Ireland in particular are playing exceptionally well and have the potential, if they keep developing the way they have, to beat the All Blacks at the next World Cup.
The exception is England. It is still an unknown whether there is much, or anything between the world's No 1 and No 2 teams.
England huffed and puffed their way past Argentina in their opening game this month before they fought hard and well to defeat Australia and then put Samoa away with ease.
If there is a gap between England and New Zealand it will be minuscule and the picture to emerge as the Southern Hemisphere head to the beach is that world rugby has not been this tight for an age.
There are now seven teams — New Zealand, Australia, England, Ireland, Scotland, South Africa and Wales — who can, with varying degrees of luck and things going their way, beat each other on any given day. The All Blacks and England probably need less factors to combine to be successful but the advice for fans in the North is to pay no mind to the gap.
