In the long tradition of teams sharpening themselves against lesser opposition before a defining test, the All Blacks dismantled the Sharks 55-7 in Durban — yet their coach, Dave Rennie, refused to let the scoreline obscure the imperfections that still needed addressing. A ragged first half, a cascade of penalties, and the ever-present knowledge that the Springboks await in two weeks kept the mood measured rather than triumphant. This is the ancient tension of preparation: knowing how to read a victory not as an answer, but as a more precise question.