Sure the All Blacks had a second-string team. But over 60,000 people turned up to watch, and all left well entertained. Much of that was because of what the Baabaas brought, and the amateur ethos they continue to encapsulate.
Former All Blacks halfback Andy Ellis compared the feeling of playing for the Baabaas to running out at Christchurch's Hagley Park in the frost as a seven-year-old.
Music fills their changing sheds pre-match; smiles are contagious. It's about having fun, chucking the ball around and forming lasting friendships that flow through WhatsApp chat groups long after the team dissembles.
In his first experience that's exactly what Savea found, too.
"I was nervous coming in at first and not knowing what it was going to be like and all the guys I didn't know," the 54-test wing said. "We gelled very quickly on and off the field. It was a great experience. I've been enjoying myself in terms of rugby the last three months it's been awesome. I couldn't be more happy to be part of this environment."
Robbie Deans lost battles to get any homegrown UK-based players released for this fixture. But he offered some advice to the likes of England coach Eddie Jones, who Deans inferred put pressure on his squad not to participate, about the refreshing spinoffs the Baabaas can provide.
"If coaches can look a little bit beyond at the benefits that come out of it they'll actually be the benefactors over time too," Deans said, pointing out England's players could have soaked up the experience ahead of a showdown with the All Blacks this time next year.
"It's a great opportunity for them to experience the level. In a year's time there's going to be 23 of them out there so there's been an opportunity missed because some of them could have had a taste.
"This is the way rugby should be regardless of what competition you're in. It's the players' game and sometimes coaches forget that. We produce stress when in actual fact if we retained this element the players would rise to the level you want. There's a lot of lessons in this sort of experience.
"It captures the essence of rugby."
Deans now lives in Japan and previously coached the Wallabies but remains a staunch Kiwi. Asked to assess whether the All Blacks were vulnerable at present, he gave an empathic response.
"They're giving teams a little sniff - they gave us a fair amount of encouragement in the first half so the critical thing is where they go from here. I've got no doubt they'll rise because that's what they do. It means too much to them. They're in no hurry to give up their status as the best team in the world."
