Time sure moves fast in rugby.
Think back to about seven weeks ago. Just over 49 days, less than two months.
On that day, the Bulls took on the Stormers in the final of the Super 14.
The calls then were what an athletic bunch the South Africans were.
How they could play both types of rugby - conservative and free-flowing.
How they had depth in every position and would simply march to Tri-Nations victory and then stride confidently on to defend their World Cup title next year.
All Black assistant coach Wayne Smith reminded everyone of those words on Saturday night.
They seem well off beam now.
Fast forward to the present and it is not the South Africans making all the running.
The All Blacks showed some real quality against the Springboks on Saturday night in Wellington.
Most importantly, the win showed that the great effort at Eden Park the week before was not a one-off.
The thing with Super 14 is that the talent in New Zealand is spread fairly evenly throughout the country, while the Stormers and the Bulls have all the South African talent tied up and the other three sides are average at best.
It is becoming increasingly obvious that what happens in the Super 14 is completely unrelated to what goes on at the next level.
Time and again it has been proven true, but still plenty of people get worried if our top Super 14 teams are not performing.
How many New Zealanders really care if there are not three or four New Zealand Super 14 teams in the top four, as long as the All Blacks do well?To continue from where they left off in Auckland, the All Blacks showed they have reached a new level of maturity, and that the new rules are ideal for New Zealand rugby.
Counter-attacking, moving the ball wide and players backing themselves are traits of New Zealand rugby that date back to 1905 and are still heavily ingrained today.
What is encouraging for the All Blacks is the depth that is being built.
Depth brings competition, and nothing brings out the best in someone more than knowing their position is on the line, in every test, no matter what their last name.
Look at Mils Muliaina.
With the likes of Israel Dagg and Cory Jane keen to take his place, he knows one bad effort and he will be wearing a jersey with a number starting above 20.
Contrast that with the Springboks.
Players such as John Smit, Pierre Spies and Victor Matfield know their place in the team is more secure than a bonus bond, so they are not scared into playing well.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers can whine all he likes about the referees, and his side did get a couple of rough calls, but his ageing players and ageing game plan are why his side is not winning.
The absence of key players such as Fourie du Preez, Juan Smith and Bismarck du Plessis is not helping the Springbok cause.
Maybe it is time for de Villiers to ring the changes, shake it up a little bit.
But is he a man for that? And does he even run or pick the team?He is a coach from yesterday facing a team playing rugby of the future.
Question: Is Westpac Stadium the worst place in New Zealand for goal-kicking?
And is it mandatory for it to rain in Wellington every time there is a test there?
