‘We’re just ordinary people who can play rugby reasonably well’, says New Zealand coach Steve Hansen

There was a beautiful episode during the post-match celebrations on the Twickenham pitch which told us much about the 2015 All Blacks, a little cameo which informed us that as well as being the most brilliant exponents of the game that rugby has yet to witness, they possess that same rare champions’ class off the field too.

An exuberant young kid called Charlie Lines had bounded onto the pitch to get close to his heroes only to be smashed to the ground with unnecessary zeal by a security guard. A shocked Sonny-Bill Williams helped pick him up, gave him a hug and walked him across to see his parents in the crowd.

Then he slipped off his winner’s medal and draped it round Charlie’s neck. The kid’s face was a picture of stupefied joy.