While coach Steve Hansen admitted to being somewhat frustrated by the All Blacks' second half effort, he refused to allow a disappointing finish detract from an opening stanza of rugby wizadry.
The visiting All Blacks tore their counterparts to shreds in the first 50 minutes of the opening Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney, running in eight tries without response to essentially kill off the contest.
However with the game in the bag at 54-6 and the replacements on the field it was a much different story, as the All Blacks dropped off tackles and tossed errant passes allowing the Wallabies to pile on 28 unanswered second–half points on the way to a final scoreline of 54-34.
"First 50 minutes was probably as good a rugby as you'll see and the last 30 was probably some of the ugliest rugby," Hansen told media at the post-match press conference.
"I think we probably got a little bit seduced by the scoreboard and went away from the fundamentals of what we wanted to do.
"But I think it's about concentrating right now on what we did really, really well and that first 50 minutes was pretty special."
Far from being discouraged, Hansen sees it as an opportunity for the side to regather, recompose, and ensure there's no hint of complacency heading into the second Test in Dunedin on Saturday.
"It's another learning from a group that’s re-establishing itself, and it'll give us something to really focus in on when we go to Dunedin.
"If we'd gone on and won the game playing the way we were in the first half I don’t think that would've done us any good either."
It was far from the ideal build-up to the Test for the All Blacks, a turbulent week of off-field drama almost overshadowing the rugby itself after the re-emergence of the Aaron Smith incident and Jerome Kaino returning home amid allegations of infidelity.
Hansen noted that Smith had responded with an impressive performance, but he wouldn't be drawn into any details regarding Kaino's availability for selection next week and dismissed suggestions the incidents had provided the side with any added motivation.
"We all know what the problem is and he's got some stuff he needs to deal with, so when he's dealt with that we'll make some decisions.
"Motivation's not about things like that. Motivation comes from players who want to be the best they possibly can be.
"We did nothing different this week to what we normally do – try and create that environment where we can come and play Saturday and have performances we can be proud of."
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