The Rugby Championship has once again gone to another level with three of the four sides still in the hunt for the title, with just one week to play. But, instead of the incredible on field performances, focus has again been pulled away by the man with the whistle.
While the All Blacks have retained the Bledisloe once more, the game wasn't without it's controversies with the Wallabies left aggrieved by several calls, while in South Africa the Springboks and Pumas put on a entertaining performance that saw 11 tries.
Read on for this week's Talking Points.
WALLABIES A FLY-HALF SHORT AND IT'S COST THEM DEARLY
It's never been more apparent than on Saturday night that the Wallabies need a legitimate starting fly-half option, and they need it now.
James O'Connor has filled the role valiantly over the last two months after a late SOS from Joe Schmidt, leading the Wallabies to their first win at Ellis Park in 62-years last month and putting in a steady performance off the bench in Townsville to lead the Wallabies to victory after the siren. He almost did the same in Sydney a week later, and he came close to making it a double in South Africa if not for his wayward boot late in the match.
But for all the calm and steadiness he brings to the Wallabies line-up, it's clear the 35-year-old isn't the starting option the Wallabies need now or into the future.
While many will remain hyper focused on the dubious referee decisions late in the Eden Park encounter (more on that below), it can't be ignored that O'Connor made three crucial errors that simply can't be made in a Test match, especially when taking on the All Blacks at their fortress.
Down 13-3 after 15-minutes, the Wallabies were struggling to get a foothold in the contest as the All Blacks maintained possession and territory, before a Billy Pollard breakdown penalty in the 17th minute released the pressure valve. At least it would have, if O'Connor had found touch with his boot. Instead the All Blacks had possession once again and the Wallabies were quickly back in defence.
Ten minutes later the All Blacks scored and the deficit was pushed out to 17-points.
Once in a match is hard to forgive, but to do it twice - he failed to find touch again in the 53rd minute - is inexcusable.
He would also kick a restart into touch in the 49th minute just seconds after Damian McKenzie kicked the All Blacks to a six-point lead. Talk about adding insult to injury.
Yes, he was accurate off the tee and he was astute in phase play, producing several impressive touches through the second half, but the Wallabies need more than an average performance if they're to win their way back into the top six on the world rankings.
Coming off the bench for the Crusaders throughout the Super Rugby Pacific season and producing two strong cameo performances off the bench for the Wallabies against the Pumas, it's clear O'Connor's role is from the bench, but it leaves Schmidt vulnerable with young 10s Tom Lynagh, Ben Donaldson and Tane Edmed his only starting options.
The end-of-year tour is when these three ball players must step up to the occasion, or Rugby Australia must seriously work on bringing Carter Gordon back into rugby.
REFEREE STANDARDS FALLING SHOCKINGLY SHORT
This year's edition of the Rugby Championship has been the best to date with all four teams in the hunt for the title, but throughout it all it's been constantly dogged by poor referee standards, and it can't be ignored by World Rugby any longer.
As the Wallabies and All Blacks battled it out on the Eden Park pitch for the biggest prize in trans-Tasman sport it wasn't the impressive skills on the park that had fans and commentators buzzing post-match, instead it was the efforts of whistle-happy referee Andrea Piardi.
Twenty-five penalties were awarded in all, 15 to the Wallabies, many of which came in the second half when they were practically blown out of the match.
The Wallabies were very much in the clash after they clawed back a 17-point deficit to sit just three points behind heading into the halftime break, but just as they started to gain ascendancy the wind was quickly knocked out of their sails by more than one questionable call.
First was the Italian's decision to award Tupou Vai'i a breakdown penalty in the 45th minute 20 metres from his line after he was deemed to have done just enough despite Tom Hooper quickly taking him off his feet. From there the precedent is set, getting hands on the ball for a split second before cleaners arrive is now fair game and enough to win a turnover. At least, that's what you should expect.
Minutes later, in near identical circumstances, Tom Hooper perched himself over the ball. Releasing the player in the tackle, he quickly swooped in, two hands clean on the ball, always on his feet. Textbook steal. Instead he was penalised. "No clear release" Piardi labelled the penalty. "Dubious" New Zealand commentators dubbed it.
It was a third successive penalty within three minutes against the Wallabies, all three of which could be labelled questionable after Harry Wilson was pinged moments earlier for sacking the All Blacks' rolling maul despite Piardi originally deeming the actions legal.
It joined a list of questionable calls from the first half, including the head scratching non-call on a clear knock on from Beauden Barrett in a tackle immediately before Cam Roigard ran in for his first try of the night. Just how it was missed by both Piardi and TMO Marius Jonker is astounding.
Just weeks ago Argentina coach Felipe Contemponi fronted media in Sydney: "It's very frustrating, because it's not working. It's as simple as that. It's not working. The system, whatever they are doing to get it better, there's no consistency and it's not working."
And he was the winning coach.
Instead of the incredible contests on the pitch leading conversations after each match, it is the referees' performances that are dominating post-match press conferences and analysis.
Contemponi didn't hold back in Sydney or Townsville after his side was on the wrong side of controversial decisions. Rassie Erasmus isn't shy of making his thoughts known, while Joe Schmidt has been forced to take a measured approach on several occasions including Piardi's last assignment for the Wallabies during the British & Irish Lions series.
Clearly World Rugby knows there's an issue, given their online series 'Whistle Watch' featuring former international referee Nigel Owens as he breaks down decisions made after each weekend. While fans are left more divided than ever on what exactly they're seeing in the game.
The Rugby Championship is the pinnacle of southern hemisphere rugby, the Bledisloe Cup the biggest rivalry in trans-Tasman sport, yet the referee appointments don't reflect this. The players, the fans, the game deserve better than what they're being served up.
A WIN RELEASES THE PRESSURE, BUT ALL BLACKS REMAIN VULNERABLE
For a 23rd straight year the All Blacks have retained the Bledisloe Cup all the while extending their Eden Park winning run to 52 Tests. But while Scott Robertson and his coaching staff will be breathing a sigh of relief following Saturday night's victory, they will know the pressure is still on.
Racing out to a 17-point lead the All Blacks dictated terms at the contact area while they had a stranglehold on possession and territory through the opening quarter. But as quickly as they raced out of the gates, they faded, allowing a slow starting Wallabies side to play their way back into the contest.
Soon it was the Wallabies who looked the better of the two sides, maintaining possession and hammering the All Blacks' defensive line, while they competed hard in the aerial battle. The loss of Beauden Barrett in the first half clearly made it's impact, while Robertson will need to look at their lineout with the Wallabies' rolling maul and their rolling maul defence one of their strongest areas through the contest.
Cam Roigard was clearly the standout performer for the All Blacks in his return from injury, while Ardie Savea put in another monumental shift as captain, and Elroy Carter proved he is built for the Test arena with his mammoth display in defence.
But the All Blacks will know a little more starch in defence from the Wallabies - they missed 40 tackles - a faster start and rectification of crucial errors from O'Connor could have seen the result easily swing the other way.
Robertson will no doubt be happy his side showed grit in the end to ice the game in the closing minutes, but he knows his side are not close to the peak of their powers.
FEINBERG-MNGOMEZULU A STANDOUT IN DURBAN CHAOS
While a Cheslin Kolbe clanger in the 36th minute has grabbed global attention for all the wrong reasons, it was fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu who deserves all the acclaim after he produced an absolute masterclass performance in the Springboks chaotic win in Durban.
After a 30-minute period that failed to produce a single try, it opened the door to a flood of scores through the second half with the No.10 at the heart of it all.
A hat-trick of tries within 15 minutes, while racking up metres with ease, the 23-year-old beat 13 defenders in all with 14 carries and notched up three clean breaks in what is easily his best performance in a Springboks jersey. His kicking from hand was imperative and he also slotted ten from the tee.
Mercurial and masterful, it's clear who'll be leading this team forward in the future.