The Growden Report
Gripping final a reminder All Blacks are re-energised
Greg Growden
July 6, 2015
Hurricanes 14-21 Highlanders (Australia only)

After the Highlanders' spectacular victory on Saturday night, it's now 13 Super Rugby title triumphs to New Zealand, four to Australia, three to South Africa. Pretty damning statistics for those not residing in across the ditch, or who have no affinity with the All Blacks monster.

The Tri Nations/Rugby Championship spoils of victory are virtually the same, currently standing at New Zealand 13, Australia three and South Africa three. Again demoralising news for all those not brought up on kumara, hokey-pokey ice cream, lemon and paeroa, fush and chups and buzzy bees.

Those believing in the magic of numbers may try to argue that the 13/4/3 combination will work in Australia's favour during the coming Rugby Championship. They may also like to argue that Rugby World Cup successes during the same period have been considerably more even - one each to New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

But anyone who has closely followed this year's Super Rugby tournament knows this is mere wishful thinking - as New Zealand remain so far ahead of the Southern Hemisphere pack. As former Wallabies coach Alan Jones expressed during his recent video interview with ESPN, the quality of the New Zealand provinces is frightening, in particular their level of pace, high skill level and depth of resources.

Jones said New Zealand provincial rugby was "so strong".

"You take teams like Wellington, who are playing very adventurous rugby… rugby that people are enjoying," Jones said. "Then there's an outfit like Otago, who have never been strong, and they are playing beautiful rugby. Then you've got Canterbury with all those internationals."

Scrum still Wallabies' biggest concern: Jones
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After observing this combined strength and skill, Jones said: "I thought 'My God if this all comes together, there's 50 points in this.' We [Australia] have the job ahead of us. We've got gifted players, but that may not be enough."

Kiwi power has been on show all season, especially whenever there has been a local derby, prompting a succession of top-shelf games that have displayed everything appealing about the 15-man game.

The Highlanders-Hurricanes final was no different. Inhibitions were once again left in the dressing shed. The fear factor was forgotten. Negativity was a forbidden word. It became an outlandish exercise in show and tell. For the whole game they just went at each other - the Highlanders eventually succeeding because they won the big moments and made less mistakes at the breakdown. The Highlanders also succeeded in an area no one really thought they would - in flustering the Hurricanes into taking wrong options at wrong times.

But what was most overwhelming was the pace of the game, the athleticism and the passion shown by all - the last factor not exactly surprising considering neither province had won a Super Rugby title. So they were not just hungry. They were ravenous - and it showed.

The Highlanders were worthy winners of the Super Rugby final © Getty Images
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As compelling was the level of fitness showed not just by these two teams, but the other New Zealand provinces during the season. Even after 80 minutes of high-octane rugby during the final, no one was bent over trying to catch their breath. And this is what should be worrying their Australian counterparts the most. New Zealand is not just reconfirming itself at the moment as world rugby's most powerful nation it is also re-energising itself.

A few weeks ago, there was a concern expressed in sections of the New Zealand media that the All Blacks in a World Cup year may be getting a bit old. However a perusal of the All Blacks training squad showed that while the hard heads remain, there is a fair contingent of new blood and vibrant young talent including five newcomers. Countless invigorating performers, such as the final man-of-the-match Elliot Dixon, missed out.

The Australian training squad has a few new names as well, but has had to rely more on bringing back from overseas some old names - such as Drew Mitchell, Matt Giteau and Dean Mumm - to provide much needed solidity to a questionable contingent.

Most irritating was that the Australian selectors opted for those who have been there for a long while but have done nothing lately - as in the Reds' second-row combination of James Horwill and Rob Simmons when Luke Jones from the Rebels appeared a far better lock option. At least the selectors got it right by including Brumbies lock Rory Arnold. But Jones should have been there as well.

In contrast, there's no passengers in the All Blacks squad. An even bigger irritant is the gap between the two nations, who will meet on August 8 and 15.

Jones's "there's 50 points in this" statement could easily come back to haunt the Wallabies.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

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