Hansen redefines all we knew about experience

As ever, it fell to Steve Hansen to neatly encapsulate the situation. The All Blacks head coach is the master of all he surveys and that includes the press conference room, whether in victory or defeat.

The latter, to Ireland last November, seemed like a lifetime away on Saturday night at Tokyo Stadium as New Zealand once again lived up to their top billing as this World Cup’s defending champions and number-one-ranked side. The opposition, in stark contrast, served themselves up as cannon fodder for the marauding back-to-back winners.