Rugby World Cup 2019: Having beaten South Africa, New Zealand are only just getting started

It was a passing comment made by Rassie Erasmus in the wake of defeat, one that was uttered with any real consideration but said so much about perceptions of the All Blacks. “I think New Zealand will have some tough competition going through to the final,” the South Africa coach said as he reflected upon the Yokohama spectacle that had unfolded moments earlier.

The implication, unintended or not, was there in all black: that New Zealand would be reaching the Rugby World Cup final for a third consecutive year. Having overcome the tricky and hardened challenged posed by the Springboks – a side that, since 2016, is slowly returning to its former glories – it’s a safe assumption to make.

Because, the reality is, the All Blacks are only going to get better from here on in. Saturday’s performance offered just a glimpse of what is in store from Steve Hansen’s men as they move find their form and rhythm on the sport’s grandest of stages. Hansen himself was quick to point this out in his post-match press conference.

“We won, didn’t we? So you’ve got to be happy with that,” the Kiwi said. “Were we perfect? No, but you’re never going to be at this stage of the tournament.” Indeed, like an iceberg in cold waters, there’s so much more beneath the surface to this New Zealand side.

Take the Richie Mo’unga-Beauden Barrett tandem. Hansen had gambled in deploying the dual playmaker approach, something that had yielded mixed results in their last outing together against South Africa over the summer. Here, though, the two men pulled the strings, with their vision, pace and intelligence put to good effect once the All Blacks had readjusted to their opponent’s rush defence.

This moment of adaption was in itself crucial to determining the flow and outcome of the game. After operating within the same passing line for the opening 20 minutes, Mo’unga and Barrett split to either side of the ruck, offering themselves as potential first receivers in both directions. The manner in which these two players chop and change, mix and match, doing so frequently and unexpectedly over the course of 80 minutes, is only going to improve with time and practice as the World Cup progresses. It’s a terrifying option, one that will becoming increasingly hard for opposition teams to counteract.

“It’s only going to get better,” Barrett said of his partnership with Mo’unga after the win. “I love playing with Rich, he’s a super talent and hopefully for this team we can figure out how we get the best out of other and do what’s best for this team. We’ve got a lot more potential in us. It’s exciting.”

Barrett, in particular, is set to tap into a rich new vein of talent from full-back. With extra time and space at his disposal, the two-time World Champion can burn the furnace to reach greater speeds, hit the gaps and unlock opposition defences before seeking the offload – such is the efficacy of his handling. We saw it against South Africa. The 28-year-old looked charged every time he received the ball from deep, a fizzing, bucking force of energy, while his kicking adds yet another dangerous weapon to New Zealand’s arsenal.

“He’s an outstanding player and on his day he’s the best player in the world and we saw that tonight,” Mo’unga said. “I could hear him and I was trying to give him the ball every time he wanted it. When Beauden Barrett wants the ball, you just give it to him and watch out.” In what was just his second game in this set-up, it’s scary to think the heights he will scale at this World Cup.

Hansen’s second gamble came in the shape of George Bridge and Sevu Reece, two wings who have combined for just five previous Test starts. Nonetheless, both men showed what they’re capable of to spark New Zealand’s 17-point turnaround in the first half.

It was Reece who initially received Mo’unga’s cross-field kick, speeding away from Makazole Mapimpi down the right flank before feeding Ardie Savea. From there, the ball was recycled, with South Africa’s rush defence out of sorts, and eventually worked to Bridge on the opposite side of the pitch to drive home his side’s first try. Within a matter of seconds, the All Blacks had sprung into life after a period of sustained pressure from the Springboks. If this is what they’re capable of with their backs against the wall, imagine what is to come from New Zealand in full control of the flow of play.

“The boys showed a lot of fortitude,” Hansen afterwards. “We didn’t get a lot of chances but when they came, we took them.” This was ultimately the difference in Saturday’s clash. As these two heavyweight giants lined up against one another under the bright lights, exchanging fierce blows in what Hansen described as a “titanic” struggle, it was the Kiwis who made sure theirs counted. Assuming they don’t recline into a state of complacency after overcoming this sizeable challenge, things are only going to get better for New Zealand.