The All Blacks had travelled 20 hours from Buenos Aires, via Sao Paolo and Johannesburg, to Cape Town and it was 32°C outside their hotel, but the entire team — from coach Steve Hansen to captain Kieran Read — unpacked a truck full of kit before checking in. It was an impressive display of their egalitarian set-up, with everyone rolling up their sleeves for the common good. That trait carries over to the rugby field, where the All Blacks epitomise the word "team" even though they have some of the best rugby players in the world. Winning the Rugby Championship for the fifth time in six years was achieved with one round to spare, but for the All Blacks there is no resting on past achievements. They are already looking ahead and are not getting carried away, rather focusing on the Springboks. Nowadays most South Africans chuckle at the notion of the Boks being a "challenge" for the All Blacks after the world champions won 57-0 in Albany three weeks ago. New Zealand have won their last ...

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