MAKING THE TRANSITION

There have been a handful of tests in the last few years when the All Blacks hit a rare groove and looked like they could make just about anything happen.

They blitzed Ireland in 2012, beating them 60-0 after they scored four tries in the first 20 minutes that were sublime.

In 2014 they tanked the Wallabies at Eden Park and then did the same to France in the quarter-final of the 2015 World Cup. That night in Cardiff, they probably would have scored 100 points if they were given just an extra 10 minutes to do it.

The Springboks were run ragged in Durban 2016 and then destroyed last year in Albany.

But as impressive as these performances were, they didn’t necessarily define the All Blacks. They were memorable not just for the results, but because the performances were a variation on the norm.

The All Blacks were capable of brilliant rugby, but it was rugby much like every other team played – just faster, more accurate and more intense.

It was rugby built on the core tenets of a strong set-piece, well-worked strike moves and good running lines.

This year, though, it feels as if that has changed. Ahead of the June tests the All Blacks held a couple of training camps where they hinted that they had been working on some changes to their game.

With the World Cup approaching, the coaches said they needed