Thank goodness the All Blacks prevailed as any other result in the first Rugby World Cup semifinal of 2015 would have been a rugby travesty.

New Zealand's 20-18 semifinal victory over South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday highlighted exactly where the two sides are at and showed that skill and brains will still beat bash and barge, even when the conditions favour the latter.

South Africa's 12-7 half-time lead was certainly well deserved after they had dominated the breakdown and were duly rewarded by referee Jerome Garces when he served Jerome Kaino a yellow card. But it never really felt like their one-dimensional approach would be enough.

The half-time message from New Zealand's coach Steve Hansen, meanwhile, must have been relatively simple as his troops were back out in the paddock doing passing drills more than three minutes before the Boks reappeared. That fact, too, shows just where the rugby psyche exists within these two nations at the present time. To properly study that psyche, you have to go way back to Super Rugby. Only the Stormers qualified for this year's semi-finals and they were promptly beaten by the Brumbies, at home, in week one of the play-offs.

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Heartbreaking losses to the Wallabies in Brisbane and then the All Blacks in Johannesburg papered over some obvious cracks before they were there for all to see when the Springboks were embarrassed at home by the Pumas.  South Africa arrived at the World Cup to be shocked by Japan -- the biggest upset in the tournament's history -- as the Brave Blossoms out-thought their more-fancied opponents.

The Springboks may have recovered to top Pool D and earn themselves a quarterfinal with Wales, where the best of their bash-and-barge game was on display, but had it not been for Duane Vermeulen's flick pass, which laid on a try for Fourie du Preez, it would have and possibly should have been the Welsh facing the All Blacks. Meyer's side should have realised then that this style of rugby would not be enough to defeat the All Blacks as opposed to a patched-up Wales side. 

From Schalk Burger to Vermeulen, Francois Louw to Eben Etzebeth, the one-out runners just kept on coming on Saturday. And despite Damian de Allende's first-minute linebreak in which he opened up the All Blacks, the Springboks failed to ask any questions of the All Blacks' defence. They managed just one further linebreak compared with New Zealand's five and just three defenders beaten against 19 -- those statistics say it all.

Heyneke Meyer said post-game that he thought he'd got the game plan "spot on" but that statement could not be further than the truth. Sure, they finished within two points of the All Blacks but the gulf in skill and the ability to actually use the ball was evident throughout.

The Springboks boss, too, said he was here to "serve" South African rugby and would love the chance to continue coaching the team going forward. They have a number of wonderful young players coming through in the likes of Handre Pollard, Jesse Kriel, Lood de Jager and De Allende, but there may need to be a change of coaching or at least a change in coaching direction if they are to reach their full potential.

For on a night when the conditions could not have suited the Springboks bash and barge game any better, it still wasn't enough.

Meyer may well want to serve the Springboks, but keeping him on as coach doesn't look like it would be the best service to South African rugby.