My goodness, it must be test week, the Cartel have named a test team!

And about time too, now we can start getting excited, as 'our journey' has begun ('our journey © J Mitchell, Western Force rugby).  Test one in world cup year, versus France, Auckland, 7:35pm, Saturday June the second.  Bring it on.

Right, straight to the team!

15 Leon MacDonald (Cantabury), 14 Josevata Rokocoko (Auckland), 13 Isaia Toeava (Auckland), 12 Aaron Mauger (Canterbury), 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu (Waikato), 10 Dan Carter (Canterbury), 9 Piri Weepu (Wellington), 8 Chris Masoe (Wellington), 7 Richie McCaw (c, Canterbury), 6 Reuben Thorne (Canterbury), 5 Ali Williams (Auckland), 4 Chris Jack (Canterbury), 3 Carl Hayman (Otago), 2 Keven Mealamu (Auckland), 1 Tony Woodcock (North Harbour).

Reserves:  16 Andrew Hore (Wellington, 17 Neemia Tialata (Wellington), 18 Troy Flavell (Auckland), 19 Rodney So’oialo (Wellington), 20 Brendon Leonard (Waikato), 21 Nick Evans (Otago), 22 Ma’a Nonu (Wellington).

Players not considered for selection due to being broken arses were: Byron Kelleher, Mils Muliaina, and Conrad Smith, who have hamstring strains; Jerry Collins who has a heel injury; and Anton Oliver who is managing a foot injury.  The foot injury is expected to break into the big time soon under Oliver's astute management...

Soooo, now the fun part, what can we read into these selections?

First, the default selections, thanks to the broken arses listed above.  MacDonald gets first bite of the fullback cherry, as does Toeava at the centre cherry.  Other than those two slightly contentious positions (Mils in mine eyes the better fullback, and Smith still in with a chance at 13), all other selections almost an All Blacks 'A' team, but for...

The wings.  Rokocoko and Sivivatu selected, the Rock in particular, for two reasons.  The main being not a lot of rugby.  Rock having next to no time on the paddock, thanks to Nucifora and his insane dream of winning a Super 12 with no All Blacks playing (thinks he's back at the Brumbies - wouldn't that be nice Blues fans eh, eh), and Sivivatu being reconditioned, and back from injury - another test for him, and for the cousins as a duo on the wings.  Can the All Blacks afford to have their two most lethal attackers on the field at one time?  Neither noted for even half the work rate of Howlett or NZ Junior Gear.  This is their chance to show the pundits that they can do it!

Midfield.  While a default seletion of Toeava, the Mauger nod over McAlister will be a bit of a trial too.  The Cartel know, at Super level, that Toeava and Lucky Luke combine well.  They want to see how the rising star and the veteran go together.  If they gel, then all good news for Mauger and New Zealand rugby.  If they don't get, still good news, as Lucky and the Iceman will just have to do...

Interesting selection of Masoe at 8, and a damming glance in Tuiali'i's diorectionat the same time.  The Cartel have selected Masoe at 8 as they want him to have more experience there at the international level.  Meaning?  Meaning that if So'oialo gets broken, that Mose Tuiali'i won't be rushing into any starting XV.

Also the loose trio selection, complimentary I reckon.  Thorne the worker joins Masoe the wrecking ball at number eight, as opposed to the standard selection of the Collins wrecking ball at 6 and worker So'oialo at eight.  The Cartel place a lot of faith in working combinations of complimentary players into the loose trio, as opposed to just putting the best three players there and hoping it works.  I don't think So'oialo and Thorne would fit into a loose trio together, too much sameness there.  But I digress, Collins being injured gives the Cartel a chance to try the Masoe, Thorne, McCaw triumvirate.

The tight five as a whole, well, I would not be too sad to see this lump of humanity run out into a sudden death RWC match.  I would in fact be happy.  Williams gets the nod over Robinson at lock for one main reason I reckon, the Cartel giving Nucifora another nudge in the solar plexus.  How so - well, the All Black season comes along, and straight into the starting lineup are Rokocoko, Williams, Mealamu and Woodcock.  All players that Nucifroa 'eased' back in, or not at all, into the Blues.  You would lose nothing though if you were to change Robinson for Williams, Oliver for Mealamu or Tialata for Woodcock.  Only one of those changes though, or perhaps two if the first swap was Robinson.  So the tight five looking healthy no matter which way to combine them.

All in all, a pretty expected side, especially once you see all the players unavailable for selection.

Roll on les Frogs, lets see what they serve up as opposition first up.