Ma’a Nonu’s haka a magic moment on a dreary night in Durban

Ma’a Nonu’s haka was the memory to take from the predictability of this one-sided clash in Durban.

To even use the word clash is a stretch because it was understandably one-sided and heavily weighted in favour of the All Blacks.

They won 54-0, having led 14-0 at halftime. If there was a surprise it was that the All Blacks only went past 50 in the 75^th minute.

In fairness to the victors they never got out of second gear because they never had to.

The Sharks can’t be blamed for a lack of effort because they were committed and gave their all for 40 minutes, during which they conceded two tries.

But for those of you from Cape Town, who have watched a cold front come in, slowly but with the expected lethal downpour, it was this kind of view that unfolded in Durban.

The slowness only delayed the inevitable of an emphatic All Blacks win.

They scored eight tries, of which Ruben Love converted seven, and had a handful disallowed.

What to take from the match?

For the All Blacks, this was a hit-out for the core of their Test starting XV. They won’t play again until the opening Test against the Springboks at Ellis Park on the 22^nd August.

They got an opposed training session, but the match lacked any of the intensity that will come in that first Test.

The Sharks were competitive in the set piece for an hour but they had no impact among the backs. Nonu’s introduction in the 60^th minute brought a cheer only matched by the rapturous applause when he took up the haka challenge post the All Blacks traditional pre-match threatre.

It was a great rugby moment and the reverence around Nonu, from both sides, was obvious.

Nonu made one trademark power surge and flattened Love.

When introduced Nonu initially went to the left wing to mark the 23 year-old Hurricanes flyer Fehi Fineanganofo

Nonu made his Test debut against England in 2003. Fineanganofo was 22 months old.

Fineanganofo, whose 17 tries in this season’s Super Rugby Pacific, was a record that got equalled by teammate Josh Moorby. In Durban Fineanganofo was impressive in getting two tries and adding a couple of try assists to his night.

Jordie Barrett, at inside centre, was the official Player of the Match, but there was very little pressure on the All Blacks attack.

The Sharks did not have the quality of player in the backs or the line speed and intensity to ask any questions defensively of the All Blacks attack.

All Blacks coach Dave Rennie will be pleased his preferred Test players got their first 80 minutes on tour, but that was the sum of the exercise.

There is nothing more to read into the match.

The Sharks go back to their United Rugby Championship pre-season training and a very different All Blacks prepare for the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.

The real business then starts, with just the Lions, post the first Test, sandwiched in between the four successive Test matches.