All Blacks: Rugby World Cup progress report

The All Blacks perform Kapa O Pango before their win over the Springboks. Photo / Getty

Three games down, two to go for the All Blacks before Rugby World Cup 2015. Kris Shannon tracks the winners and losers from the victory over South Africa.

Winners:
A couple of men will feel much better about their World Cup prospects than they have at any other stage of the season. Charles Piutau was brilliant filling the giant boots of Julian Savea, picking up a deserved man-of-the-match award after providing menace with ball in hand and assuredness on defence. And Lima Sopoaga rewarded the faith placed in him, handling the red-hot atmosphere of Ellis Park with aplomb and never showing any debut nerves. The first-five largely kicked well and played a pivotal part in the Ben Smith's crucial try right before the break, displaying solidity and spark on both sides of the ball.

Progress report: Week one
Progress report: Week two

Falling stocks:
It's harsh to judge after one outing but James Broadhurst's World Cup hopes were hardly helped by events at Ellis Park. It was a tough ask for a debutant to face the Springboks at their fortress but, as mentioned above, some can handle such heat. Broadhurst, on the other hand, appeared to struggle with the intensity of the test and was dragged at halftime. Liam Messam was another who looked a tad off the pace, while Ben Franks was nowhere near as effective off the bench as Nepo Laulala has been in recent weeks.

The fullback debate:
Israel Dagg was a bit of a mixed bag after last week's bounceback performance against Argentina, showing some nice touches but throwing the hospital pass that led to the Springboks' first try. Ben Smith, as usual, showed that his abundant abilities extend to the right wing but, considering Piutau's performance, there may be a temptation to move Smith back to his natural home.

The hooker debate:
Codie Taylor impressed in a 20-minute cameo for the second straight week, ensuring their was no let-down after the outstanding Dane Coles was replaced. The Crusader's efforts off the bench may have his nose in front of Hika Elliot - resting injured ribs - for the third hooker spot.

The big plus from Johannesburg:
Aside from the nebulous concept of a mental edge ahead of a potential semifinal meeting with the Springboks at the World Cup, the All Blacks once again displayed their ability to win test matches in the last 10 minutes. Heyneke Meyer intimated during the week that he was worried about how his side's conditioning would stack up against the fittest team in the world, and such concerns were proven legitimate as the All Blacks soaked up wave after wave of pressure and before mustering the energy needed to emerge victorious.

The big negative from Johannesburg:
There were deficiencies in execution, particularly in the first half, but both teams experienced issues in making the passes stick. Ill-discipline may have been more of a concern for the All Blacks, conceding 13 penalties to South Africa's nine and receiving what was almost a costly yellow card when camped on their own line. South Africa, admirably, turned down several chances to add three points, but the All Blacks would need no reminder that could change come World Cup time.

Our top starting side:
If the All Blacks' World Cup opener was tomorrow, this is our starting side (changes from last week in bold):

Ben Smith, Charles Piutau, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea, Dan Carter, Aaron Smith; Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Owen Franks, Dane Coles, Wyatt Crockett.