Haaaang on (in your best Blackadder voice), wasn't there a test last Saturday, wasn't a record loss recorded by a proud nations 3rd team.  Oh yes, France, 61-10 against the All Blacks, record high score against, and record losing margin.

The biggest talking point of this test though, was not the finding of form of Panadol McDonald and Rokocoko, or Grenade Face Oliver trying to score his try through the goal posts, or Collins smashing all 'n' sundry as he rampaged about the pitch.

No.

The main talking points were the injuries to perhaps, the All Blacks two best locks.  Ali Williams breaking his jaw in two places trying to do a 'Collins' on Caveman Chabel, and coming off a very second best, and being carted off to hospital, getting wired up and having another 8 week R&R session prescribed.

Worse though, was Keith Robinson and his Tupperware calf muscles.  He injured one in the pre match warm-up, making that his 403rd calf injury in his rugby career.  Not as bad as first thought according to the Cartel, so he should be back halfway through the Tri Series.  Fingers, toes and calf muscles crossed.

So, now, with Robinson, Williams, Eaton, and Ryan out injured, former All Black Greg Rawlinson has been added to the squad, along with Junior All Black Ross Filipo, two good choices - Rawlinson must have gone close to making the grade in the first place, and Filipo has been in top form for the last two seasons, and this is a just reward for a hard working tight forward.

Enough though on the soft bastard locks!!  The test.

We won, easily.  We lost class players.  The French were disappointing, again. 

But it was entertaining I thought, and players are coming back into form, and gaining much needed experience which will see them through in bigger games to come.  Combinations are being built out wide, and honed to a cutting edge up front.

The Collins, McCaw and So'oialo loose trio continued to show what a loose trio should be like on the field, as a unit second to none in the world, and hell, damn near to the best the All Blacks have fielded, ever.  A big call I know, when you look at trios such as Kronfeld, Jones and Brooke, Jones - Jones, Whetton and Shelford, Mourie, Shaw and Mexted, and no doubt many others pre 1981, where my memory starts from!!  But this latest trio is right up there, power, pace and precision, something all the great trios have had.

The two props also continued on their merry way, again, if not the best in the world, they are in the top few exponents of the dark arts.  It does not matter who you slot in between them either, Mealamu or Oliver, nothing is lost at set piece time.  Mealamu has come a long way from the former flanker converted to hooker that he once was.  He is now an out and out hooker, immensely strong, explosively fast, and harder than a runaway steam roller to stop 5m out from the line!  Oliver, thanks no doubt to the R&R, looks to have gained a bit of his explosiveness back too, close to the rucks and mauls his running looking like the young Oliver again...

Kelleher played one of his better tests for a long while, and outside him, Evans and McAlister  looked like they were old stagers playing their 50th test match together, not their first or second, or whatever it was...  Certainly their interplay was right up there, and both very quick players.

The three quarters, centre through to fullback, dangerous, fast, and busy, for the most part anyway.  Certainly packed with talent to fill the back three positions, and to be frank, I am not really worried about centre either.  Sure, Smith is injured, but when isn't he?  Toeava, for all his handling faults is looking more and more comfortable playing at this level, and waiting in the wings is Mils Muliaina.  So there are six players (seven if you count Gear in the Juniors) able to fill, more than adequately the four spots.  MacDonald, Muliaina, Howlett, Sivivatu, Rokocoko, Gear Smith and Toeava.  THe top four of that lot, well, your guess is as good as mine, and no doubt will be vastly different from the Cartels!!

All in all then, despite the mediocrity of the opposition, a good hit out for the All Blacks, and another to come next week, where no doubt more of the reserves will get a run against the Canuks.