Brittle Springboks look primed for the kill

We all know how good these All Blacks are. Now we get to see how damn ruthless they are.

We’ve seen them do exhilarating good. Repeatedly. Now can they do nasty good? Can they bully the bullies as they come to town with their swagger turned to a stagger?

Sitting the Wallabies on their backsides is one thing. Putting the hurt on a faltering Springboks outfit who look primed for the kill will be another altogether.

And it should tell us a lot about the mindset of this group of All Blacks who are hinting at the makings of something very special indeed as they breeze through the challenges of 2016 with a good deal of ease, and no little skill.

The week could present its difficulties. All Blacks are almost predisposed to respect Springboks. It’s part of the genetic makeup. They’ve the great enemy, with a mutual admiration born of a near century-old history of epic battles and classic encounters.

These are the two great rugby nations and by definition they tend to bring the best out in each other.

But can Steve Hansen’s men recognise a wounded enemy when they see one? Can they go for the jugular, much the way the 2009 Boks did when they swept an outof-sorts All Blacks outfit in all three tests?

Saturday night in Christchurch could tell us something defining about these ominous All Blacks of 2016, not ‘‘rebuilding’’ after the post-rwc departure of a halfdozen legends of the game, but ‘‘reestablishing’’, in the words of their super coach Steve Hansen.

If Hansen’s men stay on topic, keep their heads in the game and continue their outstanding form of the season, then they will despatch the Boks with ease.

And add to the growing disquiet in the republic around the state of their beloved Boks.

All week you will hear out of Christchurch about how much respect the All Blacks have for the Springboks and how they will be expecting to take their best shot on Saturday night.

The words will be genuine, but a little deceiving.

These All Blacks will utter the epithets. But they will also understand that if they play up to the levels they’ve established through the first three tests of the Rugby Championship, then they will leave these limited Boks in their dust. The challenge will be to take care of their own side of the equation and not get distracted by the negativity surrounding the South Africans who have now dropped two on the trot.

This test is all about the All Blacks. Make no mistake about that.

If they reproduce their first 40 in Sydney, or their second 40 in Hamilton, and perhaps even extend it to 50 or 60 minutes of sporting symphony, then we could be in for a treat.

They look well capable, rattling up numbers that you almost couldn’t make up.

These All Blacks are on a current winning streak of 14 since their pre-world Cup defeat to the Wallabies in Sydney and have now rattled up 43 home test victories in a row. Hansen’s record since assuming the tiller? Played 60, won 55, lost three, drawn two.

So far in the Rugby Championship they have won three from three, scoring 128 points to just 39, and running in 18 tries to just two. They are playing at a pace, and with a precision, that their opponents simply cannot match.

If Hansen is smart this week he keeps his All Blacks away from the game tape of Saturday night’s 23-17 Wallabies victory over the Boks in Brisbane. It’s hard to see how watching the Keystone capers of the South Africans can do anything positive for his players’ head space.

They have to expect better. But also understand that if they play their game, at their pace, with their skill, that they will reap the result they desire.

Since that 2009 South African sweep, the All Blacks have won 11 of 13 tests against the Boks − their only defeats coming in 2011 in Port Elizabeth and 2014 in Johannesburg.

There is no reason to expect any easing off from the All Blacks this week. They will take Sam Cane’s defection in their stride, Ardie Save a ready-made replacement of the highest calibre. They will fix their lineout issues and their firsthalf wobbles from Hamilton.

They will stay good. Nasty good.