All Black coach Ian Foster and captain Sam Cane escaped the axe and will head to South Africa unintense pressure ahead of the two tests against the Springboks.
The All Blacks confirmed the two would be in their jobs despite a media blackout since the series loss to Ireland and several calls across the country for Foster’s head.
At the end of it all, there were a few changes made to the squad, and the status quo - with one exception in Joe Schmidt moving into the coaching team in the place of Grant Fox - holding firm.
But if Foster thinks that the New Zealand public won’t be scrutinising his every move on the two-test tour, he is dead wrong.
The circus created by cancelling the traditional sunday post-mortem press conference and radio silence ever since has sent the small rugby-mad nation into a frenzy, with Foster finally fronting up ahead of the team’s departure for Nelspruit and the first of two massive games.
"I'm Ian Foster and I'm the All Blacks head coach," Foster projected. "As a head coach there's been a lot of questions the past few weeks. Let me tell you who I am. I am strong. I am resilient – I think I've proven that. I believe I have a great feel and relationship with my players. I'm strategic and also accountable. I'm excited about the chance to show you what this team is made of."
Asked a number of times whether he considered walking away from the job and Foster was adamant - “Not at all” he said.
And he admitted that while he had survived the axe, he was under intense pressure heading to South Africa.
"There's no doubt I'm under pressure but I'm always under pressure and I've always felt that. External people will try to intensify that but it doesn't change the fact that as an All Blacks coach you live in that world all the time. Does it hurt? Yes it does,” he said.
Foster still believes he is the right man for the job and his beliefs will be tested against a Springbok side who haven’t beaten the All Blacks in South Africa since 2014.
"I love the passion of our fans and I love the opinions. That is what it is. All I can assure people is the person I am and my role. I'm not here for any other reason other than to do my best for this team.
"Right now I can understand the frustration that we've lost a series. My job is to put perspective around that and to make sure we take the lessons and this All Blacks team comes out stronger. I want to be part of the solutions.
"Both tests away against South Africa couldn't be harder in many respects but when your back is against the wall then this is a great place for the All Blacks to be. We've got to respond.
"We're desperate to perform against South Africa but you have to be. It would be much nicer to hear us talk about a great performance over there than what we're putting up with now."
Foster made it clear he also believed in Sam Cane as captain, despite widespread calls for Sam Whitelock to lead the side against the Springboks.
"I believe in him as a person, as a leader. The easiest thing to do when a series doesn't go your way is to point the finger and blame and want peoples' neck. I've got a lot of faith in Sam and the leadership group around him. We all know there's a high degree of accountability when you put on an All Blacks jersey and we need to be better."
With Angus Ta’avao, Brodie Retallick and Jack Goodhue making their way back from suspension and injury, the All Blacks selectors have called in temporary cover. Braydon Ennor, Tyrel Lomax and the uncapped Josh Dickson will join the squad for the South African leg of the tournament.
Blues playmaker Stephen Perofeta is the only other uncapped player.
The All Blacks will have a two-day camp in Wellington next week before travelling to South Africa for back-to-back tests against the Springboks.
The All Black squad is as follows: (Age, Super Rugby club, test caps in brackets).
FORWARDS
Hookers
Dane Coles (35, Hurricanes / Wellington, 81)
Samisoni Taukeiaho (24, Chiefs / Waikato, 11)
Codie Taylor (31, Crusaders / Canterbury, 69)
Props
Aidan Ross (26, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty, 1)
George Bower (30, Crusaders / Otago, 14)
Nepo Laulala (30, Blues / Counties Manukau, 41)
Ofa Tu’ungafasi (30, Blues / Northland, 47)
Ethan de Groot (23, Highlanders / Southland, 4)
Angus Ta’avao (32, Chiefs / Auckland, 22)
Locks
Scott Barrett (28, Crusaders / Taranaki, 50)
Brodie Retallick (31, Chiefs / Hawke’s Bay, 95)
Patrick Tuipulotu (29, Blues / Auckland, 42)
Tupou Vaa’i (22, Chiefs / Taranaki, 12)
Samuel Whitelock (33, Crusaders / Canterbury, 134)
Loose Forwards
Sam Cane – Captain (30, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty, 80)
Shannon Frizell (28, Highlanders / Tasman, 17)
Akira Ioane (27, Blues / Auckland, 14)
Dalton Papalii (24, Blues / Counties Manukau, 15)
Ardie Savea (28, Hurricanes / Wellington, 62)
Hoskins Sotutu (24, Blues / Counties Manukau, 10)
BACKS
Halfbacks
Finlay Christie (26, Blues / Tasman, 6)
Folau Fakatava (22, Highlanders / Hawke’s Bay, 2)
Aaron Smith (33, Highlanders / Manawatu, 105)
First five–eighths
Beauden Barrett (31, Blues / Taranaki, 104)
Richie Mo’unga (28, Crusaders / Canterbury, 35)
Stephen Perofeta (25, Blues / Taranaki *)
Midfielders
Jack Goodhue (27, Crusaders / Northland, 18)
David Havili (27, Crusaders / Tasman, 16)
Rieko Ioane (25, Blues / Auckland, 50)
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (29, Blues / Auckland, 1)
Quinn Tupaea (23, Chiefs / Waikato, 9)
Outside backs
Jordie Barrett (25, Hurricanes / Taranaki, 39)
Caleb Clarke (23, Blues / Auckland, 5)
Leicester Fainga’anuku (22, Crusaders / Tasman, 2)
Will Jordan (24, Crusaders / Tasman, 15)
Sevu Reece (25, Crusaders / Tasman, 20)
Replacement players travelling to South Africa:
Josh Dickson (27, Highlanders / Otago, *)
Braydon Ennor (25, Crusaders / Canterbury, 5)
Tyrel Lomax (26, Hurricanes / Tasman, 14)
Unavailable for selection due to injury - Joe Moody, Anton Lienert-Brown, Ethan Blackadder and Josh Lord. Unavailable for selection due to New Zealand Rugby return to play criteria - Damian McKenzie.