That makes four in a row for the All Blacks since 'that match' at 'that tournament'.  But this the first genuine test match of the season.  It had felt like a test week for the first time this season, and the anticipation before the kick off, genuinely having no idea who would win the match - just like the first test I remember watching, the 1981 third test between the same two teams.

I will save you a trip down memory lane though, and we'll look at the performances of then men in black circa 2008, not the 1981 version, which had such legends as Andy Haden, a young Gary Whetton, Manawatu hard man (via Horowhenua) Gary Knight.  Hell, that was a legendary side.  This current crop of All Blacks, a mix of old and young did pretty well tonight too, and I think some of the new boys will go on and be able to be mentioned in the same breath as the class of '81.

So this test match, starting from where the test was won, the forwards, and the man who much of the win was built on, the number one Myth...

1:  Tony Woodcock  9/10
Sasquatch, maybe Yeti, Loch Ness?  Still trying to find a nickname for one of rugby's biggest Myth's...  Maybe Yeti - Yeti and Yoda propping up the All Black scrum at the moment.  Anyway, Tony Woodcock has added another notch to his belt, and another international prop has been sent packing, and along with his reputation, his teams scrum.  Maybe it was Hayman and Oliver getting made look good by Woodcock, as opposed to Yeti getting made to look good by the Otago pair...?  So a top performance in executing his core duties of scrum, lineout ruck and maul, up to his nuts in Boers for 80 minutes.  Then bonus points all round for his tackle on Habana after a kick chase, and his hand in the All Black try, it he who Carter double around on the way to giving Kaino his gallop to the line for the five pointer.  Things you might not have seen John Ashworth doing 27 years ago!

2:  Andrew Hore  8/10
Clearly the best rake in New Zealand at the moment, and that now includes his work at scrum time.  I had always been dubious about his scrum work (along with Richard Loe), but he has proved me, and old Pokeye wrong.  Was strong as usual in the close quarter stuff, making the advantage line almost at will with the ball.  Throwing was generally good at lineout time, and just busy, busy, busy for his 70 odd minutes on the field. 

3:  Greg Somerville  7/10
Had a shocking ten minute spell when he would not have been able to catch a custard pie with his face at a clown conference, let alone a rugby ball in a test match, but other than that, another top day at the office for New Zealand's most capped prop.  Even more ironic those handling lapses, when later in the match in full stride, his pulls in a pass off his boot straps.  But then Somerville is not in the team to dazzle all and sundry with his ball handling skills, no, he's there to bash fat Steroid fuelled biltong biting Boer brutes into submission at the coalface of rugby; scrums, lineout's, rucks and mauls.  He did it too, superbly.

4:  Brad Thorn  7/10
But for the one brain explosion, was the rock of Gibraltar for this All Black team.  Putting in big tackles that lifted the team (almost as high as he lifted Bokke captain Smit in his moment of madness) when needed, providing the horse power for the All Black scrum, cleaning out at rucks and mauls, and late in the game, showing up more and more with the ball in hand while the opposition is lagging.  Just another huge game from the man who is closer to a zimmer frame than any other in the match today.  His highlight of the match would have to be the big hit that dropped Bakkes Botha on his arse midway through the first spell.  The best reply to the big Boers constant niggle.  Forming with Ali Williams a very potent second row combination.  His lack of genuine international lock height more than made up for with his top line horse-power.  The horse power and the fact that with Kaino and Thompson, we have two more forwards with genuine height top offset!!

5:  Ali Williams  9/10
Would have given him 10/10, but he kicked too much!  And well, he just kicked.  Locks don't kick - well, you would not have found a ball mark on the top of Andy Haden's size 14 boots!  This day and age though, different story, and to be fair, his 40 metre touch finder was a boomer.  Just his other two kicks were not so crash hot!  All that aside though, Williams in his 50th test showed that he is now in exalted company, up there I think with the best New Zealand has produced at lock over the years.  Yes, when 'greatest' teams are trotted out now, a lock pairing could be Williams with Meads  Was superb in the air from kick offs and in general play, and like the rest of the pack, tore into the Bokke eight, giving the All Blacks the edge they needed to take this match.  Sore ankle, hell, kick him in the other, and there will be no limits!  Loved the big guys holding the Boer prop off with a fend / chocker hold, which proved to be pretty effective, the fatty going off shortly after!

6:  Adam Thomson  8/10
Chased like a trooper, tackled like a demon, hit rucks and mauls like a runaway elbow jolt, and in general played a top tight game of rugby.  He covers the ground like an open side flanker, gets around the paddock turning up and helping out the back three like a number eight of old, but wears the number six jersey, which is the way of the modern game.  Certainly at the moment showing that he is a worthy successor to Jerry Collins.  A different type of player that old Guinness head, but just as effective at this early stage of his career.

7;  Rodney So'oilao  8/10
Business as usual for Rodders.  While he may have been wearing a seven on his back, he played his usual game for the All Blacks, which was, as usual, all action.  Led the side well too I thought.

8:  Jerome Kaino  8/10
Looking better and better as an international number eight.  While his work in the first half at scrum time with Ellis was shoddy, that is the only real black mark on his game.  He took a nice try for his efforts, and should have had another but for a howler of a decision by the ref.  Solid lineout work, and like the rest of the pack tackled himself to a standstill in the open.

9:  Andy Ellis  6/10
Slow.  Slow delivery, slow decision making.  But.  There is always a but, and here it is.  He clearly got better as the match progressed.  The turning point, when he had his first run with the ball, a nice break around the fringes.  You could almost see his confidence grow after that, a little thought bubble, "I am good enough to play at this level".  So while he is no Dave Loveridge or Mark Donaldson, he could well be...

10:  Dan Carter  9/10
Like Thorn, one brain explosion, when early in the second half he looked to run the ball out of his 22 when isolated.  The All Blacks escaped from that incident though, and went on to record their 41st win over the olde foe.  Carter controlled the game well with his boot, perhaps overdoing the kicking at times when the Bokke's looked broken out wide, but in general, he did the right things at the right times.  Fell off a few tackles as the game progressed, but hell, so would many when the Boer brutes start running at you around the fringes!

11:  Sitiveni Sivivatu  6/10
Not a busy game at all from the Fijian flyer, nothing ran his way, but he also did not really go looking for work to hard either.

12:  Ma'a Nonu  7/10
Nonu is looking more comfortable at 12 as the season progresses, and is looking like a quality midfielder.  Made one big break through the midfield, but other than that was well contained by the Bokke defence.  Defended well too, and his combination with Smith looking better and better too as the season progresses.  He was pretty solid with Kahui in 13 too the other week, so, currently, that mixed up All Black midfield starting to look settled - a season too late...

13:  Conrad Smith  8/10
Geez, can't that skinny white bloke tackle well!!  Not the best conditions to be showing your ball playing prowess, so the SWB showed the world that his defence is pretty top notch instead!

14;  Rudi Wulf  8/10
Chased, chased, and chased some more.  I have to be honest, that this is the second game of rugby that I have really watched Wulf in, and he is not half bad is he.  A bit of a Doug Howlett clone when it comes to work rate, Wulf is always there or thereabouts cover defending, chasing long kicks, and tidying is when things are looking a bit dodgy at the back for the All Blacks.  Has not really had a decent chance with the ball in hand yet though, just solid in that department, it would be nice to see him get the ball with a bit of space and see what he can do.

15:  Mils Muliaina  7/10
Busy to start with on attack, but the game then seemed to flow away from the Waikato fullback.  Tidy otherwise, solid defence, good option taking, and not many errors.  Moved to the wing when Panadol MacDonald came on late in the match which is not a bad option for the All Blacks.  Better than moving him to centre anwyay!!

16;  Kevin Mealamu  7/10
Some dodgy throwing in his short time on the field, but full volume in the tight stuff and with the ball tucked under his wing.  Just needs more game time to get his combinations with the jumpers sorted under match conditions.

17:  Neemia Tialata
not really on the fied long enough to rate.  i do wish though that he would remember to get his ankles strapped before he put his boots on for a change though...

19:  Sione Lauaki  7/10
Turnover-itus again, but sometimes it is not his fault - support players, get there, you know he is going to bust tackles and make yards and fight for every inch of turf.  Was running onto the ball in this test, and proved hard to stop when he had a head of steam up.  An ideal man to bring on against the tiring Boer side.  I don't think it would work against the Aussies, and it would probably be better to carry another flanker on the bench against those blokes as opposed to an 8.  Still, showed today for the first time this season that he is deserving of the jersey.

20:  Jimmy Cowan
Another cameo from Mr Naughty, went fine, not long enough to rate.

22:  Leon MacDonald
Was on the field longer than Jimmy, but hardly sighted the bugger, so no rating for him either!