A year which ended on an almost perfect note, with a scintillating finish against Wales at Millennium Stadium, was, unlike last year, not without its flaws in terms of results but it still reaffirmed the All Blacks as by far the best team in the world.
Low points were the 12-12 draw in the Sydney drizzle in August in which neither team scored a try, but Australia probably deserved to win, a point acknowledged by All Black coach Steve Hansen.
There was also the 27-25 defeat to South Africa in Johannesburg, only Hansen's second loss as head coach, but it featured the sort of storming finish which his team is becoming famous for and they could have won but for a controversial decision by referee Wayne Barnes to award the Boks a penalty for Liam Messam's high tackle on Schalk Burger with the help of a big-screen replay.
Pat Lambie kicked the long-range penalty for the victory. High points were the three-test sweep of England in June, plus the demolition of the Wallabies at Eden Park. And, like last year when they got out of jail against Ireland in Dublin, the All Blacks' conclusion to the year was again triumphant, but for different reasons.
