Perfect one year, ugly the next. Yet Steve Hansen is hardly reacting like the coach of an All Blacks team who, on results alone, have taken a step backwards in 2014.
After winning 14 Tests from 14 last year, Hansen’s men can reflect on a season which featured a 27-25 loss to the Springboks in Johannesburg, a 12-12 draw with the Wallabies in Sydney and 12 wins, including the 34-16 defeat of Wales on Saturday.
The Cardiff escape act was typical All Blacks fare this year, struggling through the first half and only sealing victory late in the game.
Hansen wasn’t going to quibble, voicing satisfaction at what they have achieved, not long after learning his side had swept World Rugby’s team, coach and player of the year awards.
“It’s been a great year for us. We’ve had to earn the right to win some games and we had to earn the right to draw one that we shouldn’t have even drawn,” he said.
“What we’ve found is ways to win ugly or draw ugly, which is a lot better than a loss – not much, but better.”
Hansen says surviving the furious Wales challenge will hold them in good stead when his players almost certainly return to Cardiff next year for a World Cup quarter-final.
Whether they are first or second in what is a relatively weak pool, the All Blacks will play a quarter-final at Millennium Stadium – most likely against France or Ireland.
Hansen expect that game to mirror the intensity experienced on Saturday.
“It was perfect for us because that’s what we’ll get in a quarter-final, be it France or Ireland,” he said.
“It’s going to be a massive atmosphere, a physical, hard game to work our way through.”
Captain Richie McCaw agreed with Hansen that Wales’ defence had been immense but their tackling workload ultimately counted against them as they conceded three tries in the last 10 minutes.
Patience was always going to be rewarded in the dying minutes if the All Blacks stuck with their methods after a shaky start, McCaw said.
“They got up in our face and we didn’t deal with it as well as we would have liked.
“But you’ve got to believe that it’s not all going to go your way in that 80 minutes. Sometimes you’re just hanging on, but a game never goes against you the whole time.”
McCaw had a rousing haka performed to him by teammates in the post-Test dressing room to honour his 100th Test as skipper.
It was another influential display from the 33-year-old flanker, whose 1024 Test minutes this year was more than any of his teammates.
Unusually, he wasn’t New Zealand’s top tackler against Wales.
Lock Brodie Retallick led that category with 12 tackles, to go with two lineout steals and two offloads in another standout Test before being crowned World Rugby player of the year.
2014 Breakdown
Loss
South Africa 25-27, Johannesburg
Draw
Australia 12-12, Sydney
Arm-wrestle wins
England 20-15, Auckland
England 28-27, Dunedin
South Africa 14-10, Wellington
Australia 29-28, Brisbane
England 24-21, London
Scotland 24-16, Edinburgh
Wales 34-16, Cardiff
Won in a canter
England 36-13, Hamilton
Australia 51-20, Auckland
Argentina 28-9, Napier
Argentina 34-13, La Plata
USA 74-6, Chicago
All Blacks 2014 statistics and ratings
Played 14. Won 12, drew 1, lost 1.
Most points: Aaron Cruden (93), Beauden Barrett (62), Julian Savea (55)
Most tries: Julian Savea (11), Richie McCaw (4), Aaron Smith (4), Ben Smith (3)
Most minutes: Richie McCaw (1024 minutes), Ben Smith (960), Julian Savea (952), Aaron Smith (870)
Best newcomers: Malakai Fekitoa, Patrick Tuipulotu, Joe Moody
Best performance: 51-20 v Australia in Auckland
Player of the November tour: Richie McCaw
Players of the year: Julian Savea, Richie McCaw, Brodie Retallick