All Black Wallace Sititi celebrates at full-time following their win in the All Blacks v Ireland match. Photo: Chloe Knott/ActionPress
Analysis - That one would have felt pretty sweet for the All Blacks. After the ups and downs of 2024, things are coming right at a very important juncture for Scott Robertson's side, the 23-13 win over Ireland in Dublin the most compelling bit of evidence yet.
Read how the game unfolded here.
This was one of those test matches that will live in the memory for the talking points it has thrown up, more than its aesthetic quality - much like last weekend's win over England.
Clearly, the Irish were not at their best, which contributed to the stop-start nature of the game, as well as officiating that was erring very much on the side of caution.
All Black Rieko Ioane and the All Blacks perform the Haka. Photo: Bob Martin/ActionPress
First, the good stuff, which started before the game even began.
The reveal of Rieko Ioane as kaea of the haka was masterful, so the Irish TV crew deserve a heap of praise for knowingly lingering the sky cam over him. It showed the All Blacks were willing to embrace the narrative Ioane had fanned the flames of, sending an important psychological message that they were alongside him.
Asafo Aumua came in under a ton of pressure, in easily the biggest match of his career - and he delivered.
Apart from one shaky throw at the start that was nullified by an Irish penalty straight after, he nailed his role at the lineout and provided his usual strong ball carrying around the ruck.
All Black Asafo Aumua celebrates at full-time following their win in the All Blacks v Ireland match. Photo: Chloe Knott/ActionPress
Damian McKenzie's goal kicking was obviously crucial. While not everything was perfect, his kicking in the field of play was just as important - as well as the option taking towards the end, as the All Blacks repeatedly made Ireland pay dearly for any lapses.
Scott Barrett probably had his best game as captain so far, leading from the front and making all the right decisions in a game where they all mattered.
On the whole, though, it was again reassuring to see the All Blacks overcome the adversity of a yellow card that saw the lead slip, wrench it back and put their foot on the throat to close out a physical match. By the end, Ireland had nothing, limply kicking the ball down field and not even jumping for their own lineout ball.
All Black Scott Barrett is tackled by Josh van der Flier of Ireland. Photo: Chloe Knott/ActionPress
While the damage had been done, a lot of it was self-inflicted. The Irish mistakes started early, got worse and ultimately cost them everything. Yes, the All Black defence forced a lot of them, but they simply did not adapt despite Jamison Gibson-Park being allowed to do whatever he liked at halfback.
It was a strangely flat performance, one that made a mockery of anointing a team world number one before their season started and exactly what Robertson's planning had pegged as a best-case scenario.
Much of the in-game discourse, however, revolved around the officiating.
It is hard to know exactly how and even if Nic Berry deserves direct criticism, given that he was forced to blow a number of important penalties that a couple of weeks ago would not have warranted even a second look.
The new interpretation of the obstruction from a kick law is something that players obviously need some time to get used to, but it is hard to know how the refs and linesmen can officiate it consistently - especially off kick-offs, where conceivably everyone the ball goes past in flight can be penalised.
All Black Damian McKenzie lines up a penalty kick during All Blacks v Ireland. Photo: Chloe Knott/ActionPress
But Berry can be put on the spot for not enforcing the time limits for scrums and lineouts, which seemed to take an age. At least it was consistently ignored, which played nicely into the All Blacks' hands in the back end of the game.
Because that is where the All Blacks got it right, once again. After a season of failing to score points in the final 20 minutes of games, they have now done it twice in a row in the most critical of circumstances.
Will Jordan's try was a sublime bit of teamwork, started by Jordie Barrett and steadied by the now-world class Wallace Sititi. Ardie Savea did everything right and almost put Mark Tele'a away, but the ball went back the other way, to the corner where Ryan Crotty broke Irish hearts 11 years ago.
Back then, it was Dane Coles who threw the crucial pass. This time, it was another hooker, Aumua. This was the biggest sign yet that the Robertson era is officially in business.
Next stop: Paris.
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