One of the All Blacks' chief antagonists has thrown enormous praise on the reigning world champions, comparing the current outfit to Aussie cricketing legend Sir Donald Bradman.
Welsh rugby writer Stephen Jones has often been the quickest to point out any perceived flaws in the All Blacks and New Zealand Rugby.
Earlier this year, Jones belittled the quality of the Crusaders Super Rugby-winning side, claiming the competition was second rate, and the red and blacks could not compete with the best club teams in Europe.
But this week, the Sunday Times columnist wrote that Steve Hansen's side had no equal, describing the rugby they played as "beautiful".
"You would never call rugby the beautiful game, especially in its current industrial-diamond state," Jones noted in his latest piece in the Sunday Times. "But New Zealand can be as beautiful as any, taking the ball into fewer crunches."
"They have torn up the idea that only quick ball with the opposition on the back foot is attacking ball. Instead, they have run the ball thrillingly from deep, wide, short - they have run fast ball and slow ball, attacked after their own passes have been dropped."
The Welshman then compared the All Blacks to one of the greatest sportsmen of all time, suggesting they were “Bradman like” in their dominance.
"It was not just his test batting average of 99.94 that made Don Bradman such an amazing cricketer, it was his lead over the next best," Jones wrote.
"Nobody has ever come within 25 runs of his career average."
"So too, the All Blacks. New Zealand have played 100 games since the start of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, winning 90 and losing just seven for a winning average of 90 percent.
"In the same era, England are second with 57 wins from 82 and 70 percent, before yesterday's game against the Springboks.
"Are the Kiwis the greatest? Yes, they have taken two world titles during that run and taken a technical lead by ripping out so many of the precepts of play.
"No-one has sawed off opponents with such alacrity and consistency as New Zealand under Graham Henry and Steve Hansen," he wrote.
With the All Blacks less than a week away from a much-anticipated showdown with Eddie Jones' England side, Jones assessed the home side was at long odds to end up in the win column.
With just one victory in the last 14 tests against New Zealand, England needs to make a statement 11 months out from a World Cup win they so desperately seek.
But Jones doesn't expect that statement to be made at Twickenham on Sunday morning (NZT).
"For England to win on Saturday (UK time) would reverse history, and would be a stunning boost to Jones, the team and the sporting nation. It would in some ways turn prospects for the World Cup on their head.
"But, to return to the cricketing analogy, the magnificent All Blacks are defending their status with the broadest of bats and with flashing blades," he concluded.
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