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KEY POINTS:
You know it's time to put the oval ball away when you hear an All Black admit he's "looking forward to taking in the sights of Invercargill".
Even if it was Jimmy Cowan, of Southland, uttering the words, it's easy to appreciate the sentiment.
Thank goodness this rugby season is over. Like debt and death, it seems to have been with us forever, even if it ended on a high note against England at HQ, as they call Twickenham over that way.
Graham Henry had a smile at the end, a change from his usual rugby game face. During the match, it had been a battle of the undertakers in the stand, Henry's funeral face more than matched by Martin Johnson's grim countenance. Mind you, he's got plenty to be grim about right now.
Just as they'd done against Australia, Scotland, Ireland and Wales before, the All Blacks' second half did the trick. It is almost as if the first halves became a working out process - what are the other lot up to, what's our best strategy, where are the weak points - before plans were enacted in the second spell.
Or maybe it was simply that the players needed stern words from the triumvirate coaching team at halftime to point them in the right direction.
Credit where it's due: keeping their tryline intact for the four wins over the Home Unions was a terrific effort of concerted, well-drilled defensive work. Conceding a solitary penalty against England over five second halves is a notable achievement.
It should be added that their opponents' complete inability to capitalise on openings in the All Blacks 22 - and they all had them - was one of the glaring shortcomings in the collective Northern Hemisphere game we've seen over the last month.
Failure to hold the final pass and inability to get sufficient players in supporting positions spoke of technical, skill and fitness shortcomings.
The All Blacks were far from perfect yesterday, but were also far too good for England, and there was a moment of pure genius from Dan Carter. His dinky little kick across to Mils Muliaina running in the centre slot - who needs hands when you've got a left boot to do the job? - was magic. In a second, he assessed the options, made his decision, figured out the angle and executed the kick, all on the run.
The All Blacks were also smarter than England. Smart players these days figure out early what the referee will let them get away with. This is crucial in a game with rules as ludicrously complex and numerous as rugby.
England singularly failed in that respect with Irish whistler Alain Rolland. As befitting an Irishman with a French twist thrown in, he didn't seem to like the English much.
He dished out four yellow cards, meaning England effectively played half the game with 14 players.
Rolland was an example of a referee who operated strictly by the letter of the law, or at least the law as he saw it.
Other referees prefer to use a degree of leniency with the idea of letting the game move. Up north, they like a Rolland - especially England - more than a free-wheeling type of official.
England's ill-discipline let them down. The All Blacks got away with a bit, but that's rugby. Some days the referee will sort your team out; other days it's the other lot who cop it.
Rolland wasn't afraid to dish out the verbals.
"I'm not finished with you," he told retreating England captain Steve Borthwick at one point after he'd given both captains a lecture.
And later, "are you trying to kill yourselves or what?" after yet another English ruck infringement. At times like this it must be tempting to tell a referee where to stick his whistle. Yesterday, it was firmly planted in Rolland's mouth.
Ali Williams got an earful too, after wading into a front row squabble.
"What are you getting involved with something that had absolutely nothing to do with you?" he hectored.
Mind you, Williams would not have let a telling off from a bloke in a bright orange shirt ruin his day.
He was the only All Black to start all five tests on the tour, as if to prove that rotation - in terms of not wearing players out, as distinct from handing out jerseys to give players international experience - was a crock. Speaking, er, so to speak, on behalf of all those All Blacks who've felt the same way, he'll have enjoyed that.
