The 2016 All Blacks are the most dominant rugby team in the game's history, according to former England international and Sky Sports UK commentator Stuart Barnes.
Barnes has penned a 10-point column in which he holds aloft the current team as having set a new benchmark for the way the game is played, making particular mention of their continuous improvement despite the loss of key players post-World Cup 2015.
The All Blacks are in the midst of a 15-Test winning streak, dating back to early August 2015.
"Their achievements this season are all the greater for what came before. By that I mean one of the greatest rugby sides of them all. One that lifted the William Webb Ellis trophy in 2011 and 2015; one that was led by the greatest captain of modern times in Richie McCaw and one that was steered by the greatest fly-half of modern times in Dan Carter," writes Barnes.
"The Hurricane centre partnership of Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith broke up, Keven Mealamu quit. Suddenly they were 900 caps or so light. Step forward Kieran Read as captain and Beauden Barrett at fly-half and whoosh, they are playing with even more ambition, scoring many more tries and expanding the gulf between them and the rest."
While much of the talk of late regarding the New Zealand halves has centered around the phenomenal play of new starter Beauden Barrett, Barnes believes its his partner Aaron Smith who deserves the majority of the plaudits.
"Hollering and chivvying from the base of the scrum, he is a communicator, general and inspiration rolled into one. His passing, those fast flat passes, long and scything ones and little delayed pop passes ripped South Africa to shreds.
"The world's most influential player was quite something to behold.
Once an area of weakness for the All Blacks, the setpiece is now yet another aspect of the game they consistently dominate, notes Barnes.
"Warren Gatland says the Lions will be strong at scrum and lineout. They will need to be. The once dangerous Springbok scrum was second best from start to finish.
"Mike Cron seems to be a true guru of the scrum. The lineout is even more of a concern for opponents. Kick the ball into touch and they can damage opposition from this fluent first-phase part of their game."
With the Lions set to tour in 2017, the former first-five eighths lamented the lack of a Christchurch test match on the schedule.
"A certain sadness that there will be no Lions Test in Christchurch, the venue of Saturday's game. The Canterbury region is at the heart of New Zealand rugby.
"I know that professional rugby has to think of the economics of the sport but for this centre of rugby and the South Island not to be represented is a great shame, whatever the reasons."
Newshub.
