While many were lining up to declare Ian Foster’s side the worst New Zealand team of all time, they came bouncing back after losing to Argentina a week earlier to turn the tables in a comprehensive 53-3 win.
Where there has previously been confusion, there was clarity, where there had been indecision there was precision and a total of seven tries. It was enough to move them up one place to fourth in the World Rankings and put them a point clear at the top of the Rugby Championship table.
The All Blacks now have two games to play against Australia to complete their championship campaign. Then they head ‘North’ to meet Wales at the start of the Autumn Series in Cardiff on 5 November, with a warm-up game against Japan in Tokyo before they arrive.
Having lost to Ireland twice, South Africa and Argentina already this year times have been tough for Foster. He was forced to shake-up his back room staff and now has former Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt working alongside him.
They appear to have struck-up a good relationship pretty quickly and both coaches would have been happy to see the same starting XV that went down to the Pumas a week earlier in Christchurch a week earlier conjure up tries at the Waikato Stadium for Ethan de Groot, Caleb Clarke, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Ardie Savea, Brodie Retallick and Beauden Barrett.
Outside half Richie Mo’unga chipped in with 14 points with his boot and the revival is well and truly underway. Some of the attacking framework that Schmidt instilled into the Irish side was apparent and Ioane stood out as he finished with a try, four clean breaks, a try assist and 11 runs for 100 metres on his way to beating six defenders.
He will be a player the Welsh defence will have to keep a very close eye on in November, along with the Barrett brothers and so many others. The Pumas are also coming to the Principality Stadium and are due to complete their Rugby Championship campaign with home and away fixtures against the Springboks.
Any one of the four teams in the tournament could come out on top and it will be interesting to see whether New Zealand, Argentina or Australia can come to the Welsh capital as the southern hemisphere champions.
The world champion Springboks, who have been beaten by Wales, New Zealand and Australia to date this year, hit back from their defeat to the Wallabies by dominating to second game in Sydney as they ran out 24-8 winners.
In an often tempestuous affair, the Springboks gritted their teeth and ran in four tries to reverse the 25-17 loss they suffered the previous weekend. Makazole Mapimpi gained his revenge on Marika Koroibete by diving under him this time to score, rather than when he attempted to go over him in Adelaide seven days earlier and got crunched by a monster try-saving tackle.
Now it is all set-up for a great finish over the next two rounds.
