Steve Hansen: Last-gasp Dublin win cemented our self-belief

Just to compound northern hemisphere misery after their quarter-final wipeout, New Zealand and South Africa pitched up in their backyard at Twickenham and showed them the level at which a Six Nations match in the rain can really be played.

This was a proper arm-wrestle fought out at an awe-inspiringly high level of skill and physicality and for All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen it was the perfect riposte to those in the Six Nations community who believe the sunshine boys down south are nothing more than flat-track bullies.

Maybe he was a little smug as he addressed his post-match media conference but Hansen had just engineered back-to-back knockout victories that showcased his side’s ability to perform at the highest levels in styles and conditions so contrasting it beggared belief.