Sam Cane doesn't have a barometer with which to gauge All Blacks' performances, but Saturday's 57-0 Springboks drubbing was right up there.
Now, the openside flanker says, his side needs to back it up.
The All Blacks returned to their ruthless best in Albany, steamrolling a brittle South African outfit with eight unanswered tries.
It's the first statement victory of an occasionally anticlimactic Test campaign, with the drawn British and Irish Lions Test series followed by unconvincing Rugby Championship wins over Australia and Argentina.
Yet, having finally clicked in both defence and attack, Cane hoped to see his side keep improving in their upcoming away Tests.
Playing against South Africa, the old enemy, had helped motivate the side - and would do so again in three weeks' time in Cape Town.
A Test in Buenos Aires against Argentina would also pose its challenges.
"There's the genuine feeling that, when we play opposition like the Boks, we have to be near the top of our game," the 48-Test Cane said.
"There's certainly an edge about it. We're already thinking that, in three weeks, they'll be a different beast over there - hurting and wounded."
It may be easier said than done for Cane's side.
Departing tactical mastermind Wayne Smith told reporters post-match that producing three flawless Test displays in succession was nigh-on impossible.
The 25-year-old Cane struggled to pinpoint why that was the case, and admitted it was a topic of discussion with mental skills guru Gilbert Enoka.
He said it was primarily a psychological block.
"For games or events, it's all about building up - it's pretty hard to stay at that peak, in this case for three weeks," Cane said.
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