The All Blacks have finished their home test season of 2017. So how did it go? There was plenty of good mixed with the bad. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn has a look back.
Best performance
Springboks 57-0, North Harbour
The All Blacks finally put it all together to smash a Springboks side which was said to be bouncing back after a disastrous 2016. But the men in black were dominant and every chance that came along they turned into points. It was helped by a clear night and a defence which went to sleep.
Worst performance
Lions 15-15, Auckland
Talk to anyone before this game and there was only one prediction. The All Blacks were simply going to smoke the Lions who got out of jail the week before. But the All Blacks just could not do the business. They coughed up some easy chances and were not ruthless enough. The Lions were tenacious but it was a test ''lost'' by the All Blacks well and truly. And for the All Blacks a draw is as bad as a loss.
High fliers
Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock: When the votes are tallied for the player of the year at the end of the season, these guys will be at the top. Quality efforts in all tests.
Sam Cane: Did very few things wrong and all the Ardie Savea lovers out there were put in their place.
Aaron Smith: Got better as the season went on. Is a very vital cog in the All Black machine.
Rieko Ioane: Did all that was asked of him. Speed and size makes a dangerous combination.
Low fliers
Jerome Kaino: The door may have closed on Kaino although he may be closing it himself. Was hurt by events out of his control, well, not all of them, perhaps.
TJ Perenara: One hates to kick a man when he is down but needs to concentrate on his game and do the basics well. Maybe his game is better suited to the tier below.
Sonny Bill Williams: Getting sent to the sheds cost his side a game in a tight series. Black mark in a big way.
Julian Savea: Dropped the ball with the line open against the Lions. Hard to forgive that one.
Work-ons
Consistency: The side was too much a Jekyll and Hyde outfit. In Sydney it was King Midas for an hour than quickly became the village dunce.
Composure: Looked the goods at North Harbour but too many times in the season the side lacked patience and made silly errors.
Farewell
Malakai Fekitoa, Charlie Faumuina, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Aaron Cruden.
Questions
Will we see Israel Dagg again in the black jersey? Ditto Julian Savea. Ditto Charlie Ngatai.
At the 2015 World Cup final the backline had 440 caps. In the deciding test against the Lions it had nearly half that. Why was everyone so confident the All Blacks would win easily?
How many light years are the other locks behind Whitelock and Retallick? And is Scott Barrett any better than Tom Franklin?