KEY POINTS:
They walked the walk, the men dressed in black, of those satisfied at a job comprehensively done.
You hesitate to use the analogy of clinical hitmen strolling away from the scene of an execution. And yet, the All Blacks' management had expressions of grim satisfaction painted large upon
their faces.
The media conference done, Graham Henry and his colleagues walked away - into who knows what sort of a future? Quite likely a brighter one than that confronting a group known as world champions who had been busted as paper tigers.
"Nineteen-nil and lucky to get the nil," as an old Irish forward of 1950s vintage once remarked, after a hammering one day at the hands of England. In this case, lucky was the word.
Had Daniel Carter kicked with his normal metronomic accuracy rather than like a drunk trying to hit a tin can in a high wind, New Zealand would have been out to 30 and a hiding would have become a humiliation.
Cape Town and one victory, commendable as it was, does not make this All Blacks side the best in the world. Much work lies ahead, not least to address the fact that without Richie McCaw, New Zealand is half the side.
His was a phenomenal performance, a comprehensive display, one of the great individual performances of recent years. But when McCaw isn't there, the All Blacks don't look the same side.
That has to be a matter of concern.
But the worries are all South Africa's after this test. Zero points is always a concern, and there was plenty to cause deep furrows on South African brows. They had enough ball to win a match and had three scoring chances in the first half alone.
Yet they failed to put a single point on the scoreboard, chiefly because of the All Blacks' scrambling defence.
The commitment, concentration, dedication to the cause and deep desire shone through the New Zealand side. Players were focused for the entire 80 minutes, whereas the Springboks seemed to switch on and off.
The relentless tackling destroyed South African continuity. There was always another defender, always another man to confront the ball carrier.
What New Zealand achieved with this victory was to make a statement. It told the new world champions that it is the All Blacks, not the Springboks, who remain the benchmark for world rugby. The South Africans may have won the World Cup last year, but two wins out of three against the Springboks in this Tri-Nations speaks volumes for the All Blacks' ability to regather, to reorganise and revive.
The rugby playing world went to Cape Town to watch. Wallaby coach Robbie Deans was there, so too England's new attack coach Brian Smith, plus Ian McGeechan, the Lions coach for next year's tour of South Africa plus their manager, Gerald Davies.
All studied intently as New Zealand, inspired by McCaw, gave the quintessential display of how to take your chances and win, despite the need for watertight defence for long periods of the game.
South Africa may wear the crown of world champions, but it is looking increasingly tarnished.
They possessed none of the All Blacks' precision and accuracy at the breakdown and came off second best in most phases, the scrum excepted.
Schalk Burger was exposed by McCaw for his inability to add accuracy, precision and construction to his undoubted courage.
But what the game provided was a reaffirmation of the reality that unless you take your scoring chances in this new game, you're likely to live to regret it. As Graham Henry had said during the week, at times it's better not to have the ball in this new game.
If your defence is focused, accurate and concentrates utterly for the entire 80 minutes, Henry's theory can bear true, and the All Blacks proved it again on Saturday.
Suddenly, the Springboks' march towards the Tri-Nations title looks a whole lot less convincing. Especially with the wily Robbie Deans watching and plotting a strategy for Durban next Saturday ...
