Is Dan Carter's injury a tournament killer for the All Blacks ?
Well, on yesterday's evidence, no.
But then again, lose next week and Carter's groin is going to be in the dock, as the leg which let down the country.
Carter's immediate replacement, Colin Slade, showed some nice touches and made some effective plays in yesterday's entertaining romp over the gutsy Canadians.
Slade's goal-kicking was not deadly accurate, but no-one seems to have found their radar at this tournament.
But, as for any indication on whether Slade was ready to step up to play the chief quarterback in the big games over the next few weeks, it was about as revealing as a burqa.
The opposition was Canada. It was a bit like sitting an examination to get into kindergarten, when the next few weeks is going to be the nuclear physics tests.
Slade, if anything, is actually now on the other foot from what he benefited from to get into the World Cup squad.
When Slade was out for basically the first half of this year, sitting on the sideline, he somehow got better in the eyes of many. He was sharper than all his opponents, and had the fundamental tools to back up Carter.
This was despite him never really picking up a ball all Super 15 season as two broken jaws ended his first year as a Highlander.
But now he has to prove he has all the ability while the others out of action are starting to look great.
The stocks of Aaron Cruden, who was really the only option to replace Carter, have risen tremendously in the past couple of months, as he played well in the ITM Cup, a standard light years below test rugby.
Now Cruden is seen as the man, and even the odd reckless individual - let out of the straight jacket and born and bred in Hamilton - suggested the name of Stephen Donald.
Carter will also benefit from the time off the field.
He was pretty damn good in the first games, though he only actually played two.
He missed a few goals, but he will now be the perfect 10 compared to Slade.
In the first two minutes of yesterday's game, Slade had a kick charged down.
Immediately, everyone thought Carter wouldn't have done that. Maybe, maybe not.
But that is Slade's monkey on his back now. Everything he does will be compared to Carter, and, unfortunately for Slade, it is always going to end in the negative for him.
Slade is a good rugby player. Good enough to lead the All Blacks to tournament glory? Maybe. But he is going to need the 14 other guys around him to play as well as they can.
Carter helps them do that, and that is his biggest loss. He gives confidence to those around him.
Slade will start against Argentina in next week's quarterfinal, but if it all goes wrong in the first half, do not expect to see him emerging from the tunnel in the second half.
Piri Weepu will move into the first five-eighth position.
Weepu now looks assured of getting a start at halfback next week, with an impressive role from the bench yesterday.
Jimmy Cowan was his usual industrious self, but his passing was sloppy and missed the target far too often.
The All Blacks played well at stages yesterday and if the competition was won by attacking firepower then the All Blacks would simply canter home.
But this is the World Cup, where it is trench warfare and all about making as few mistakes as possible.
Slade, to be the man, just has to cut out the mistakes.
QUESTIONS:
1. Dan Carter: three World Cups now and duded out in all of them. Will he be around for a fourth crack ?
2. Richie McCaw: see above. Well, two so far, and it ain't looking good for three.
3. How hard is it for two supposed top officials to tell if a ball has gone over the bar? Are these people not the best in the world? Fitter than they have ever been. These guys could decide teams' fates, yet they cannot even do the most basic of tasks.