So the men in green came, they had a look and in one test almost conquered. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn looks at five questions which came out of the All Blacks-Ireland series and ponders the answers.
A flat five-minute period cost the Steel any hope of an upset victory over the Swifts in Sydney yesterday.
Hopes of the playoffs are long gone but the Steel can still salvage something from the season - a first win across the Ditch.
The Highlanders provide both the wingers for the All Blacks when they take on the Irish in Hamilton tomorrow night. Though Ben Smith and Hosea Gear have yet to make an impact at national level together, rugby writer Steve Hepburn looks at four wing combinations which carved up in the black jersey, and another which was not so successful.
England will play a test against the Black Caps at the University Oval next March, with a warm-up game beforehand in Queenstown.
Ireland can probably not play any better but All Black coach Steve Hansen believes his side may have been hindered by trying to play too much rugby.
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph admits many of his players just want to get out and play rugby.
Steel co-coach Janine Southby will be part of the Silver Ferns coaching staff for the quadrangular series in Australia later in the year.
The Wellington Phoenix is again heading to Dunedin.
Otago loose forward Adam Thomson has earned a call-up to the All Blacks' starting XV for the second test against Ireland tomorrow night. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn wonders why Thomson has never won outright love from the All Black coaches.
Nice ground, good atmosphere. But jeepers, it was cold.
He has done most things in his career but Dan Carter experienced a first on Saturday night.
Kushla Glover is not letting breast feeding and dirty nappies get in the way of her sport.
Otago will name its squad early next month but is unlikely to have experienced lock Tom Donnelly in its ranks.
The injury problems keep mounting for the Steel with replacement defender Stephanie Bond now nursing a calf strain and looking in doubt for the clash in Invercargill next Monday.
Greg Henderson has finally made the start line of the Tour de France.
A hearing into an allegation of racial abuse by a referee at a Dunedin premier league game has been adjourned and details of any punishment have been kept under wraps.
Young Kavanagh College basketballer Richard Rodger is about to mix it with some Australian tall timber.
After eight years in the assistant's chair, Steve Hansen now becomes the director. But will he be Clint Eastwood or Michael Bay? Rugby writer Steve Hepburn takes a look at what the new All Black coach has to do.
Columba College won the Otago secondary schools netball championships at the Edgar Centre yesterday but it was a close-run thing.
