Rugby World Cup 2019: Gregor Paul - All Blacks' new brand of rugby will leave opponents worried after win over Springboks

Sevu Reece in action with South Africa's Makazole Mapimpi in their Rugby World Cup pool game. Photosport

COMMENT:

Just as the Dutch re-invented football in the 1970s, the All Blacks may be on the cusp of producing a brand of rugby that will force the world to have a major re-think about what might be possible.

Their intent is to attack their way to a third successive World Cup title – from anywhere and by any means they can conjure. What we know now is that they will force their hand, trust that they can pull off just about anything.

There was a colossal amount of adventure from the All Blacks – supported by an incredible array of skills. They were without inhibition or restriction and nothing it seemed was off the table.

And why should it have been? When they were brave enough and skilled enough to cross-kick to Sevu Reece from inside their own 22 and turn it into a stunning try four passes later, then why not be brave?

Why not relentlessly trust the basic skills when they can open up a defence as good as South Africa's multiple times?

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The All Blacks didn't finish everything they created, they didn't nail every half chance or produce the accuracy with the consistency they were after, but that didn't stop the intent of what they are all about shining through.

It didn't blind anyone to the fact the All Blacks are going to be seriously difficult to contain and that possibly, that after a build-up that went on for an age which had the two sides pinned neck and neck, the All Blacks are in fact some way ahead of the Boks.

Where New Zealand were inventive and innovative, South Africa were staid and predictable for large parts.

Where the All Blacks offered pace, vision and creativity, the Springboks offered a driving maul and a high kicking game. When they played off turnovers and played what they saw, they looked good. Excellent in fact and Cheslin Kolbe in a different world all together.

But the trouble is the structured part of their game is too clunky – too obvious and screamed of a team that may get quite far, but doesn't look equipped to go all the way.

The All Blacks on the other hand have set the benchmark at such a height now that the whole business of who can actually win this World Cup will have to be reconsidered.

The pace of this contest would have sunk many of the so-called contenders. The need to scramble so hard on defence would have been beyond a few, too.

And the real issue for everyone wanting to beat the All Blacks is that they will need to learn how to transition from attack to defence at an incredible speed.

It wouldn't be quite true to say this was the performance for which the All Blacks have been striving for more than a year now, but it wasn't far off. It may not have reached what they were after in execution, but it got there in terms of intent and ambition.

They played with a freedom and confidence that confirms that all along, even when they were crashing into the brick wall defences of Ireland, England and South Africa last year they knew this moment would come.

They knew they were working on something that would magically come together at the World Cup and it was the trust they had in each other and what they were doing that damaged the Boks.

There was a certainty about the way the All Blacks constantly looked for space and with that, the basic skills were polished, performed as they were on instinct and muscle memory.

As World Cup starts go, this was impressive. This was about as much as anyone could have hoped for. It says they are on track, that they have the gameplan the New Zealand public feared they didn't and that as the tournament develops, they can refine it and become an even harder side to play against.

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