To call them arrogant would not be fitting. If anything, this Kiwi side, despite being one of the best teams consistently in world rugby, is humble to the point of being disarming.

But on the field, there is condescension to their play.

One cannot help but admire Henry and his coaching team; year after year, they have tried specific formulae or techniques that have by and large allowed them to overshadow other sides.

However, components of their play are unbecoming of a team that can still lay claim to being the best side on the planet at the end of this Tri-Nations - their pet tournament if there was one.

Certainly a team with the record of Henry’s troops should show more respect, especially to such vaunted opponents as the world champions. The South Africans are the only team throughout history to consistently challenge the All Blacks for global supremacy.

Let's go back to September 2, 2006. The All Blacks had won the Lions series the year before, a Grand Slam, and had just clinched their seventh - and second successive - Tri-Nations, whitewashed Australia 3-0 in the Bledisloe Cup, and were sitting on a 15-match winning streak.

They entered the Royal Bafokeng Stadium undisputedly the best team in the world.

South Africa did not bring a complex game plan to the table, but relied on simple pillars to their game, committing rolling maul after rolling maul, and using the boots of Butch James and Andre Pretorius to enable them to launch their lineout.

While these aspects appeared to rattle the All Blacks, as they seemingly do now, these factors alone would not conspire to defeat them.

Henry’s men tried to be too clever, a mix perhaps of confessed superiority or a coaching team that knew they had the tournament wrapped up so thought they would add a few new features to their play.

They took short 22 kick-offs, instead of committing the traditional “clearing of lines” and kicking the ball long.

They took an inordinate time to get into position after securing the ruck, ignoring the classic doctrine that quick phase ball is the best offence against modern defensive walls.

With possession secured, they kicked the ball high into a Garryowen, even if within the opposition half. Ironically, they did not do this if near their opponents' tryline. And despite being overwhelming favourites, they lost 21-20.

They tried these plays against South Africa on Saturday in the second match of the 2009 Tri-Nations, captain Richie McCaw admitting his team put pressure on themselves and consistently tried to play too much rugby in their own half. 

These tactics have often worked throughout the tenure of McCaw and Henry. But South Africa showed that for all its complexities, rugby is a marvellously simple game and that you don’t need to be elaborate to win a match, no matter how decorated the enemy.

Thankfully, it is far from a lost cause for the All Blacks. Equally, it is no shame to lose on the Highveld to arguably the best South African team in history.

Despite being on the back foot early on, with both possession and territory heavily against them, New Zealand showed a fair amount of class to come back against a team who were truly throwing the proverbial kitchen sink at them.

And, for as long or as short as the list of negatives is, it is a list that can be overcome.

There will be no jet lag or altitude in Durban. The All Blacks now know what to expect from South Africa.

They should now know that they will have to grind, as they did against the Wallabies at Eden Park, to beat this impressive Springbok team.

For despite all the plaudits being showered on the world champions now, lose to this All Blacks team next week, and with an away win on the register, suddenly the defending champions will be in the box seat again.