When the All Blacks drilled the Boks 57-15 in Durban last year, it was tough to imagine a worse performance by the men donning the green and gold.

Fast forward to last weekend, and an all-time record defeat, and the gulf between the All Blacks and the Springboks has been laid bare for all to see.

There has been plenty said about how the All Blacks are streaks ahead of the rest of the rugby world, and they are, but don’t forget that in the two weeks prior to our match Australia had lost to a late try and Argentina had led at half time.

Anyway, the latest analysis takes place over on the Telegraph and it’s pretty brutal in its honesty:

Losing 57-0 to the All Blacks is excruciating at any time of day. Having to watch your country take that kind of pummeling in the morning, owing to time difference, before stewing over it long into the night will have only piled on the pain.

The consensus in the aftermath of Saturday’s result in Albany is that the rivalry between New Zealand and South Africa was now dead.

…The rivalry at one point was rugby’s gold standard and has served up numerous classics…[and] it took New Zealand until 1996 under Sean Fitzpatrick to win a first Test series in South Africa. But this is no longer a true contest with two giants going head to head.

The one-sided nature of recent results is damning.

And now to really stick the knife in:

Allister Coetzee’s side in Albany gave a far more honest display of what the Springboks currently are; a young side in the midst of a major rebuild, creating new leaders, constructing a new defensive system and most pressingly of all trying to build up experience. Eight of their starters in the 57-0 thrashing had less than ten Tests under their belts.

One image defines the status quo better than anything else – 96kg centre Anton Lienert-Brown dipping his shoulder and leaving Handre Pollard in a crumpled heap en route to the All Blacks scoring try number seven.

Given the current standing of the two teams and even with their history and the words of Hansen and Cane, can this really still be classified as a rivalry? The gap continues to grow, making you wonder how South Africa go about closing it again.

Let’s see that Lienert-Brown / Pollard ‘bus is full’ moment again:

Not a good look. Here’s a familiar sight – Raymond Rhule being run over:

The gap is widening and the rivalry ‘is dead’, but perhaps most alarming is the difference in skill set.

While you’re here – not that you can pin down a reason for a 57 point drubbing – here’s a look at Hougaard’s service.

Oom Rugby (a must-follow Twitter account for SA fans) points out the following:

Hougie already have the ball in first frame.. in time it take him to pass AB’s is in our faces. Today it is a game of speed.

Jesse Kriel isn’t exactly a slick passer of the ball, but the entire backline is being done a disservice by the incredibly sluggish service from the Bok number nine.

Let’s just hope we can pip the Ozzies back on home soil, and keep the All Blacks from driving another nail into the coffin that is the NZ – SA rivalry.

[source:telegraph]