The All Blacks have dispersed around the country for a few days off after dominating the second Bledisloe Cup test against Australia.
Caleb Clarke, All Blacks public training session, Whakatane, 2020. Photo: Photosport Ltd 2020 www.photosport.nz
The four tries to one win at Eden Park was a significant step up on a disappointing first test draw.
It was also a match which produced a statement performance from one of the All Blacks newest members.
Hooker Codie Taylor putting young wing Caleb Clarke in lofty company when it came to the question of whether any All Black had made such a big statement so early in their international career.
"Yeah Jonah Lomu, Julian Savea.
"We've been lucky with some pretty beasty wingers in the past and he's just another one that's come in and taken his opportunity."
Clarke didn't shy away from the heavy lifting against the Wallabies at Eden Park.
But the 21-year-old was also making his mark off the park.
Taylor said Clarke's positive energy was proving infectious for many of his more senior team-mates.
"I don't know how, but he wakes up every morning and he's always smiling and jumping around.
"I think that young blood in him gets him going every day."
Clarke's rampaging runs contributed to more than a few of the Wallabies 40 missed tackles.
Australian prop James Slipper admitted the Blues youngster had made an impressive start to his test career.
"He's obviously a really powerful player, you can see that just by watching him play.
"We actually made him look pretty handy with how we were tackling across the board. Ideally we don't want him to be running over us but with a player like that you've just got to get stuck in and make sure you make your tackles.
"He's got a big future in the game, no doubt."
That expectation was clear to see from many quarters.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster Photo: Photsport
But All Blacks coach Ian Foster was confident Clarke was equipped to block out the hype.
"He knows it's a fickle world. You get headlines one day and you get shot down the next.
"You've just got to enjoy what you're doing, keep growing [and] he's fully grounded in that area."
While Clarke had almost certainly booked his ticket to Australia, not every player involved for the All Blacks only two home matches of 2020 would be on the plane.
Foster says the new travel bubble between New Zealand and New South Wales meant they probably wouldn't take as big a squad as originally intended.
Not that he hadn't been impressed with how the whole squad had avoided panic as the opinions and critiques swirled in the wake of the drawn first test.
"We haven't achieved everything we wanted to achieve but we're building.
"Now we've got this exciting trip over to Australia, which we can't wait for because we've still got some business to do."
Namely winning at least one of two remaining Bledisloe tests to seal the famous Cup for an 18th straight year.
The All Blacks were due to fly out for Sydney on Sunday.
Meanwhile prop Joe Moody was showing good signs after being knocked out cold when making a tackle in the second test against the Wallabies.
Young midfielder Peter Umaga-Jensen also suffered a head knock, but Foster said both Moody and Umaga-Jensen were following head injury protocols and there was no reason to believe they would not be available for the trip to Australia.
Veteran lock Sam Whitelock, who missed the match with concussion, was also on track to head across the Tasman.
