What have the following players got in common?

Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Andrew Hore, Aaron Mauger, Kevin Mealamu, Mils Muliaina, Ma'a Nonu, Keith Robinson, Joe Rokocoko, Rodney So'oialo, Ali Williams and Tony Woodcock?

Yes, correct, they were all first handed their All Black jerseys by John Mitchell.  Jerry Collins first played in 2001, but only one test where he broke his leg, and was re selected by Mitch too, so for arguments sake, let's call Collins a Mitchell All Black too.

So how much does this current team's greatness owe to the chrome domed one?

To be fair to the current Cartel running the show though, these players are all pretty classy to say the least regardless, and would have been seen in black sooner or later anyway.

Currently though, from Mitchell's selections, you have McCaw and Carter who are the best in the world in their respective positions, and then the arguably the best in the world in their positions, you have; Mealamu, Woodcock, Collins, Rokocoko, and Muliaina (as a fullback please).  Williams, So'oialo, Robinson, and Mauger are also all world class players.

So, from Mitch's reign as head of the Cartel, nine have developed to be starters in the test side.  Ten if you do count Collins.

Not only can Mitchell take the kudos there, but he also made some hard decisions in not selecting players.  There is an old saying that it is harder to be dropped as an All Black than it is to be first selected, or something like that.  Mitchell made the hard decisions, and bearing the brunt of some of those calls were the like of Taine Randell and Christian Cullen.  Looking back, they were the right calls.

The next question that begs to be asked though, would this team be in the same place it is today, had Mitch not been given he arse at the end of the 2003 RWC?

I think not.  Mitch, despite paying much lip service to the fact that New Zealand forward play had slipped, had done sod all to rectify the situation.  Henry has called in the experts (Mr Cron, take a bow), and the scrum is now the best in the world.  The lineouts, well, that's a different story, they are still at the same level as 2003, and that is pretty much hot or miss - although we have seen a marked upswing in success in the last two tests - long may it continue (Hansen earning his keep at last)!

Henry has taken the foundation stones selected by Mitchell, and developed them fully, bring a team that rivals that of 1995 and 1996 into being.  Those teams, the one that missed RWC glory by the cost of a dodgy curry, and the one that created history, were both chock full with players that were rated not just world class, but best in the world.

Can this team though, go that one step further than the 1995 version, and bring home the cup?  If it does complete what had become a mission impossible for New Zealand rugby, some thanks to Mitchell must be forthcoming, for his vision in selecting the new crop, and culling (pun intended) some of the old heads.

So RWC 2007, Mitchell's legacy?