Where to now for the flip flop All Blacks?
A record defeat, the worst home loss in history and the most points conceded in a second half conspires to cast a dark cloud over Scott Robertson's tenure. Not for the first time this year, either.
Such a deeply concerning result could, perhaps, be painted as a one-off shocker. Yet there are too many recurring themes for that argument to hold validity.
The widespread goodwill, therefore, that greeted Robertson's rise to lead the All Blacks last year, after delivering seven successive Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders, is fast evaporating as the inquisition into the embarrassing 43-10 loss to the Springboks in Wellington continues.
Sure, the Boks deserve credit for their superb second half performance and drastic tactical shift that could ignite a generational change of style.
Sure, all four teams in this year's gripping Rugby Championship have two wins. And, sure, no team is yet to register back-to-back successes to leave the race for the southern hemisphere crown wide open.
From an All Blacks perspective, though, the depressing nature of last week's disjointed, dysfunctional loss that featured 46 missed tackles was unacceptable.
Don't just take my word for it, though. All Blacks centurion Mils Muliaina said it looked as though the team "almost gave up" in the final quarter against the Boks.
Former All Blacks captain Kieran Read went further, saying "You have to look at that All Blacks side, okay, there's something isn't right there, there's something within that group when you are able to just leak and leak, where's that spine we want to see?"
Indeed. It's difficult to recall a worse half an hour from the All Blacks than the five second half tries and 36 unanswered points they conceded in the capital. Any wonder hordes of New Zealanders among the sold out crowd left well before the finish - a stark sight rarely seen on home shores.
After six losses from 21 Tests under Robertson, two of those in their last four outings including their first defeat in Argentina, the All Blacks' patchy form can no longer be brushed off as anything resembling an aberration.
It's impossible to shake the sense that Robertson and his coaching crew are struggling with the significant step up from Super Rugby, and that their collective lack of international experience is being exposed.
On that note, it's telling that last week's success at Eden Park was achieved with Sir Wayne Smith in camp.
In mid-2022, at the depths of Ian Foster's tumultuous era, NZ Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson delivered a now infamous statement declaring the first home series loss to Ireland was unacceptable.
Not long after, two All Blacks assistant coaches were fired.
If some form of definitive progress and consistency is not soon evident, Robertson could well be forced to confront a similar crossroads as pressure mounts on his ability to problem solve at the elite level.
Last week the All Blacks rose to the challenge to defend fortress Eden Park and celebrate Ardie Savea's 100th Test. A week on, though, they couldn't cultivate that same mental edge and they couldn't live with the Boks blend of set piece brutality and sweeping ball movement.
A close-fought loss in Wellington would have sparked frustrations after the All Blacks made their intent to deliver successive victories clear.
But having fallen to their heaviest defeat, eclipsing the pre-World Cup loss to the Boks at Twickenham, Robertson's All Blacks are again on the ropes in need of landing a swift counterpunch as the treasured Bledisloe Cup looms into full view.
It's an all too familiar scenario for this hot cold team.
Just as concerning is the lack of improvement in crucial parts to their game, particularly their sloppy work under the high ball where they are being consistently exposed following the crack down on escorts protecting the receiver.
"We put a lot of time into it and we're not getting the return and the outcomes," Robertson said. "Maybe we change and tweak the weeks, how we kick them the ball, how they receive it, so we can get better outcomes.
"As soon as the escorts went it changed the game. South Africa got so much value from that part of their game."
Set piece is another pressing concern. The All Blacks take great pride in their scrum, using it as a weapon in recent times, but that came to a shuddering halt against the Boks as they largely enjoyed dominance in both Tests.
The lineout that provided two strike move tries last week at Eden Park capitulated in Wellington, too, with replacement hooker Brodie McAlister and questionable tactical calling combining to spark the final quarter malaise.
"There's a structure and individual skills that players have to get right especially around the scrum that's the pictures they see. World Rugby want to be really clear with the pictures they get, and they'll go after them if they don't.
"We work extremely hard and we pride ourselves on it, but we've got to deliver now so the adjustments have to come quickly."
The All Blacks will welcome back veteran hooker Codie Taylor and world-class halfback Cam Roigard for the first of two Bledisloe battles at Eden Park, while Caleb Clarke and Leicester Fa'ainanuku are likely to be called on to enhance the attacking struggles.
Whoever is selected, though, there must be more pride on defence, more accuracy on attack and vastly more heart than was evident in the grim closing stages in Wellington.
Any more unwanted history and Robertson's tenure could teeter on the brink of a full-scale meltdown.
"We don't want to chase too much. We want to be clear. We want to be focused. What can we take into the Bledisloe but be honest with each other as a whole group which starts with me.
"We played some great rugby but we let them get away with it. Our execution wasn't good enough. The start of the second half wasn't what we expect of ourselves."
That's putting it mildly.