But before we move onto these 'real' tests, isn't it sad that we now have a rugby 'traditionalist' like myself rating some internationals over and above others.  Every test match is a real test match, or should be thought of as such.  But if someone like me has fallen into thinking the early tests are less important than the Tri Series tests, than what chance new fans?  Has the day of the international 'friendly' finally arrived, we just don't know it yet?

Good call from the Cartel though on that one though- after rushing him back in last season and having him look like a leper, it is a good idea to just let him get on the field and play rugby.  His confidence will have to be back up after his good games for the NZ Maori, and a few hit outs with Harbour before injury force the Cartel's hand will be good for everyone. Better that he be playing 80 minutes each week as opposed to being player number 23 in the All Black set up - all training and no play makes LUke a dull boy.

Time is fleeting (said in the voice from the Rocky Horror Picture show)... and time to finish the selecting of the TSF team of the decade for the noughties.  I have not the time, and hardly the inclination to review all the players for the remaining positions, so I won't, but we'll give you the voting options.  Players missing, as you will have picked up from the earlier fuller voting synopsis', will be because they have not played enough tests in the period, or are just plain not good enough to be considered according to the TSF luminaries who decided on the final candidates for each position...

Now for the hard part - loose forwards.  We've had some class over the last decade, along with some serious chaff too, but there are genuine contenders for all spots, although I'm picking the voting for openside flanker will be pretty clear cut - almost tempting to put a second vote option in to see who is rated number two behind McCaw.  Again though, that would be pretty clear cut, with Kronfeld front runner there, with Holah and Masoe perhaps snaring a few votes as fans favourites, voting with their hearts, not their heads.

12th June:  All Blacks v Ireland, New Plymouth
19th June:  All Blacks v Wales, Dunedin
26th June:  All Blacks v Wales, Hamilton

2010 Investec Tri Nations

10 July:  All Blacks v South Africa, Auckland
17 July:  All Blacks v South Africa, Wellington
24 July:  Australia v South Africa, Brisbane
31 July:  Australia v All Blacks, Melbourne
7 August:  All Blacks v Australia, Chrsitchurce
21 August:  South Africa v All Blacks, Johannesburg
28 August:  South Africa v Australia, Pretoria
4 September:  South Africa v Australia, Bloemfontein
11 September:  Australia v All Blacks, Sydney

2010 Northern Tour

A 'Grand Slam' tour of the British Isles by all accounts, dates yet to be provided - hopefully a match up with les Frogs too, as that would make this tour really mean something Le Grande Slamme, with five tests!

Now they are a much maligned bunch, not often getting the credit when due for a powerful scrum, with all the kudos there going to the front row, but I have no problems with that, so will edit this out later.  About the only time they get any credit is when they look like kangaroos at lineout time, stretching for the ball and looking like champions at the top of their assisted leap.

Three candidates:

MaCaw is firming as a great and has owned the last part of the decade.
Umaga had universal approval as captain and was unquestioned.
Thorne was mostly maligned and always questioned.

It would seem a two horse race between MaCaw and Umaga both with un questioned leadership and results:

There have been some pretty strong props through this period of All Black history, and some pretty bloody useless ones too.  We've weeded out most of the trash, and have come up with the following shortlist of nominations for the team of the decade. 

Joe McDonnell, Dave Hewett, Greg Feek...

January:

The Australian Tennis Open will be held in scorching hot conditions in Melbourne. The general media will mutter about the size of Serena Williams arse which will look like a couple of beach balls covered in a pink curtain.

But lets not look too far ahead, lets look back over the last 6 or 7 weeks and the 2009 end of year tour, and I think we can look back on it with a little bit of optimism.

Splitting them into 3 groups (Ticks who fared well, Crosses who didn't fare well and Question Marks for jury is still out on).

Ticks

Cory Jane - Probably moves into the established group after this tour. Sublime. The test in Wellington showed it and the Tour has shown consistency which is brilliant. Probably better on the wing at the moment but had a fine game at fullback v Baabaas.

In years gone by, the era of the tour, this team would whop up the Barbarians, as they would have played four or five matches together already.  But this is 2009, and the All Black team is as hodge-podge as the Barbarians.

The Test against the French was a ripper of a game to watch, and both teams went out to play attacking, running rugby.  The All Blacks have been saying they are close to playing their style of game, the one with crisp clean passing, running into gaps, using space, using the ball as well as super defense, setting goals of no tries against.  Well in my opinion, they nailed it on Sunday morning. The best game I have seen in a long while from the boys in black.

But I digress, Marseille, France, and a test match against the French.  It was a forgone conclusion though, from the anthems.  The French tears and insane looks were missing as they belted out La Marseillaise, and I thought then, "we're going to win this".  Then in the second spell, when Chabel carted the ball up before being stopped dead  by Kaino, that was when you knew it was safe, and it was not if, but by how much.