Now that the Springboks and the British & Irish Lions finally have a hit out under the belt it will inevitably give rise to questions about what they are hiding.
What was kept from view in their respective matches on Friday and yesterday that could help shape their three-Test series starting on July 24?
The Springboks, through coach Jacques Nienaber and captain Siya Kolisi, were clear that their mission in their opening Test against Georgia was largely a diagnostics exercise.
There was no time for smoke and mirrors, or downright subterfuge.
Still, with director of rugby Rassie Erasmus very much involved in the daily operations of the squad there will be the lingering suspicion the Boks will have something up their sleeve.
To be fair to Erasmus, he fastidiously played to his team's strengths when he coached and plotted their path to the last World Cup.
The Springboks were clear that their mission in their opening Test against Georgia was largely a diagnostics exercise
The Boks very much went about their business with a "what you see, is what you get" approach in the latter stages of that tournament when the cohesion, brutality and unremitting intensity of their forwards made them hard to shift from their designated path.
In fact, on the Monday preceding the final then-coach Erasmus, emboldened by what he had seen from his team in earlier matches, broke with precedent and effectively named his squad for the final. The assembled media thought it bonkers.
If anything, in Friday night's slow-out-of-the-blocks 40-9 win over Georgia the Boks revealed perhaps more than the Lions might have anticipated. Sure, it wasn't the lineup that will do duty in the first Test but the Springboks explored options, some of which may prove handy in the series.
For much of his career the raging debate about Damian Willemse has been whether he should play flyhalf or fullback. It has proved near counterproductive.
On Friday he was deployed at inside centre and the clarity of thought he displayed then stood in contrast to many of his outings in the 10 and 15 jerseys.
He is of course unlikely to dislodge Damian de Allende from the starting team but Willemse has given the Bok selectors a more than viable option, especially off the bench.
If Frans Steyn's versatility gave the Boks the licence to go into battle with six forwards and just two backs off the bench, Willemse now ticks the same box, only bolder.
While surprised at seeing Willemse operating with such gusto at second receiver, former Bok prop Eddie Andrews believes the shift has potential.
"I haven't seen him play at 12. I was pleasantly surprised by the opportunity he embraced getting over the advantage line and defensively - though he's always been a good defender. I think it is something we can see more of in the coming series," said Andrews.
When the shadows are long, in Aphelele Fassi the Boks now have a player capable of delivering cutting edge from the back three. In a tightly contested series he is more likely to do that from the wing.
The Boks will of course have next Friday's second Test as another opportunity to show what they've got. Nienaber assures his selections will be fit for purpose.
"We will select the best available team to serve our purpose for both games. There were guys still coming back from injury, there were guys who weren't part of the squad for a while," explained Nienaber.
Of potential concern for Nienaber is the rib injury that prevented lock Eben Etzebeth from starting the second half on Friday. The coach did not know the severity of the injury.
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