Built on a world of hurt, a victory that was truly All Black

It was supposed to be a funeral, but rather it was a day that the old foe stood up.

The All Blacks, beaten and battered, downtrodden and on a hiding to nothing, dug deep. As deep as some of the gold mined around the Ellis Park stadium.

And they came up with gold.

It may not have been the test match that 61 000 people crammed into Ellis Park wanted to see. It wasn't the ending they wanted. A crowd baying for blood was silenced.

Where the All Blacks were poor in Mbombela, they were colossal in Johannesburg.

Where they spilt passes in the first match they held onto the ball this time. The gaps that were closed by the Bok defence in Mbombela became gaping holes in Johannesburg.

It was a test where the result wouldn't have pleased the locals, but it was a test that showed this All Black squad isn't quite done yet.

The result may be too late to safe Ian Foster's job and there might yet be a new coaching team to take them forward this Rugby Championship.

But to write off the All Blacks is utter madness.

We saw it this week, when self-proclaimed pundits talked about a thrashing, when social media revelled in what was the second-largest win over the All Blacks in Mbombela and wanted more.

This was a test match that silenced a hostile, partisan crowd. It was an All Black team that stood up, stood tall and withstood the battering.

Five losses in their last six games was a statistic that hurt badly, It was a telling tale of a team that needed to show their nation, one which has been going through the seven stages of rugby grief, that they were still there.

Ardie Savea was a monster. The leader of the All Black pack was a nightmare for the Boks. Almost single handedly he dismantled the momentum the Boks had during the game, and with space on the outside and turnover ball, the All Blacks - while still not running at full confidence - have enough skills to take apart defences.

In the end the Boks did what they had vowed not to do, and what they never allowed in Mbombela.

They lost line-outs - two crucial ones - and while they got their maul rolling the All Blacks once again succeeded in not giving them easy ball near their line.

There was also a critical decision that swung the game by 10 points when Steven Kitshoff was adjudged to have run an obstruction line. What should have been a try for Makazole Mapimpi was a penalty for the All Blacks.

It was the little things that went against the Boks at times, but it shouldn’t take away from the All Blacks’ performance.

This was a match to remind the world they are still a class side. Ellis Park remains a good hunting ground for them and reminded the Boks they still have a lot to do. Getting back to No 1 may he harder than they think.

It also was a reminder that there really isn’t much between the top sides at this level and while Foster may not keep his job, there still is a lot of pride in the black jersey.

This was a night that the All Blacks flipped the bird to their haters and the passes stuck. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but it was enough.

It was built on a world of hurt, and celebrated with a passion that the rivalry deserves.

And that, while Bok fans won’t be happy with the loss, should be enough.