Rugby Championship Round 1 Lessons

1     Steve Hansen may be accurate in his belief that lineout driving mauls are “bloody boring” and should be outlawed as illegal obstruction, but the All Blacks need to come to terms with their vulnerability to what remains a legal attacking weapon – at least until the likely change in the law after the World Cup – and shore up their defence to a ploy every opponent will use against them.

2     Israel Dagg is back. Injuries may have wreaked havoc with his conditioning and form, but he showed touches of class and made it clear he has a role to play in the All Blacks season.

3     Tempting as it is to dismiss Argentina as also-rans after being outclassed in Christchurch, they do play Australia in Mendoza and South Africa in Buenos Aires, and these games will offer them their best chance of victories.

2     Substitute props Scott Sio and Greg Holmes delivered an upgrade to the quality of the Wallaby scrummaging when they came on for James Slipper and Sekope Kepu. Their performance will have given Michael Cheika cause for confidence in the often maligned Wallaby scrum.

3     David Pocock and Michael Hooper playing in tandem will provide a massive challenge to opposing teams. Having either of them left out of the starting XV is a waste of resources, and selecting Pocock at blindside or number 8 (where he played against the Springboks) would boost Australia’s 2015 campaign substantially.

4     Teboho Mohoje’s feeble non-defence to allow Michael Hooper’s try, and then crucial offside penalty moments later when the Springboks were three points ahead, and unconvincing performance overall must provide genuine concern for Heyneke Meyer..

5     The Springboks cannot afford to have their inside backs miss the tackles they did on Saturday, when Ruan Pienaar missed three tackles, Handré Pollard five, and Damian de Allende six.

6     Bismarck du Plessis was brilliant – again. He sets the standard for every other hooker on planet Earth.

7     Jesse Kriel is the real deal.