As the dust settles on an extraordinary round of Super Rugby, including a brilliant victory by the Blues away from home – perhaps one of their best ever – it's clear yet again that the New Zealand sides number among the strongest and most destructive of the competition.
The table doesn't necessarily show that yet, with the Rebels on top after three bonus point victories over the Reds, Sunwolves and Brumbies, but the perennial strugglers from Melbourne will likely find a home nearer the middle of the table once they play teams from outside their conference.
The Blues made a massive statement by coming from 18 points down to beat the Lions in Johannesburg, and so did the Jaguares by beating the Waratahs in Buenos Aires, but the most intense of the lot was the Hurricanes' victory over the Crusaders in Wellington.
The Hurricanes' approach was not subtle. It involved racing up and smashing the visitors in Wellington every time they got the ball and a byproduct were concussion injuries to Crusaders captain Sam Whitelock and vice-captain Ryan Crotty within the first 10 minutes of their 29-19 victory.
Neither man returned to the Westpac Stadium pitch after leaving for concussion tests, which won't please All Blacks coach Steve Hansen either, and the Crusaders appeared surprised at the tactics of their opponents who only days earlier had returned from a lacklustre tour of South Africa and Argentina.