The 2021 edition of the All Blacks is a far from finished product.
Some questions have been raised following a sloppy final quarter against the Wallabies last Saturday night at Eden Park.
Leading 33-8, the All Blacks conceded 17 points in the final 12 minutes, giving away several penalties in the process, and were probably lucky to end the game at full strength.
But for halfback Brad Weber, the Bledisloe Cup holders are still building to the type of 80-minute performance that will please not only the public, but also themselves.
The Chiefs skipper says there were positive signs in the 33-25 win in the Bledisloe opener, but they also recognise that discipline let them down.
"I think if you score 33 points you are doing something right," Weber says.
"The way we moved the ball at times was a look into how we want to play the game, but we let them back at the end - they got that momentum and we couldn't stop it.
"We just need to take ownership of our discipline, and that's what our leaders have done this week."
Lost in the dissection of what went wrong at the end of the test in Auckland is the heart shown by a Wallabies side that managed to pick themselves off the canvas and deliver a few parting shots.
Weber says the All Blacks knew Australia would have their moments in the game and it didn't surprise him to see them dominate periods of the game.
"We talked about that in the lead up. Aussie sides don't go away. Even during Super Rugby with the Chiefs, there were times we thought we had them on the ropes and they would fight their way back.
"That's the Australian attitude so we have to respect that and be prepared for that and execute our plan better."
Loose forward Dalton Papalii had one of his best outings in a black jersey, making a game-high 17 tackles and securing a couple of turnovers.
The openside flanker felt the back-row trio of himself, Ardie Savea and Akira Ioane struggled to establish themselves in the first half but as the game went on, they got better.
"The three of us talked about that at the break," says Papalii.
"There was no flow to the first half. It was very stop-start and I felt we couldn't really get going as a unit.
"But I was happy with the way the three of us responded - especially defensively, so plenty to take from that game."
As for the response to Australia's finish, Papalii says it can be hard to repel momentum in the moment, but it's up to the leadership group to slow everything down.
"It's about those guys talking us through those moments. They have been there before and it's no time for panic.
"Australia are a very good side so they will have their moments and we have to answer that."
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