The All Blacks looked the exact opposite of the side that had stumbled through some tests this year, easily disposing of a limited Wallabies outfit at Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Saturday night.
If anything, the scoreline flattered the Wallabies.
The All Blacks dominated the second half, scoring two tries to go with a first-half five-pointer.
The home side led 16-6 at the break.
The win was executed through simple, solid rugby.
The forwards drove hard and low, competed well in the line-outs, had the upper hand in the scrums and clearly won the battle of the breakdown.
They also did not clutter the backline, allowing the backs to run with freedom and move the ball with real class.
Isaia Toeava had probably his best game in the All Black jersey, running hard, finding space and making some great tackles.
But one tackle in the first half on Wallabies fullback James O'Connor was ruled too high and Toeava was forced to cool his heels for 10 minutes.
During the time he was off, the All Blacks scored their first try, thanks to the aerial skills of winger Cory Jane.
The Wellington player's skills were straight out of the Aussie Rules handbook.
Fullback Mils Muliaina put up a high ball and Jane expertly went up for it, grabbing it in front of O'Connor.
He then ran 30m, fighting off the tackle of his marker, Drew Mitchell, to score.
In the second half, most of the play was from the home side, with great runs from Toeava and Jane again.
But it was not until the dying moments that the Wallabies defence was fully breached.
With five minutes left on the scoreboard, the All Blacks drove the ball up about a dozen times and when it was released, second five-eighth Ma'a Nonu brushed off a couple of weak tackles torun 20m and score.
The emphatic win was sealed by a try for winger Joe Rokocoko, after a simple draw-and-pass move from the All Black backline.
Rokocoko ran hard all night, and although he is far from the complete footballer, he was busy in a backline where everyone put their hand up.
Up front, the line-out wobbles of last weekend were absent, though that had more to do with the opposition than with improved throwing.
Otago new boy Tom Donnelly won his fair share of ball, did his job at the breakdown and made a crunching tackle on Wallabies loose forward Rocky Elsom..
Adam Thomson got round the field and made one crucial turnover in the second half.
Richie McCaw was more energetic than usual, if that is possible, while Kieran Read continued his promise at No 8.
Tony Woodcock anchored a solid New Zealand scrum.
The Wallabies were well below par, as the score indicated, and only George Smith, with a couple of runs, looked to be on the same page as the home team.
They need Stirling Mortlock back and some more solidity in their tight five.
