We have sorted our midfield problems and forward pack, now time to sort out the halfback spot (I hope the Henry Cartel are reading these, it'll make their jobs much easier).

From the Rugby World Cup we have lost Porn Star Kelleher to Froggyland, but have remaining from the squad Andy Ellis and Brendon Leonard.  Boiling just under, and under another coaching regime, perhaps they would have been RWC All Blacks, you have Piri Weepu and Jimmy Cowan.  After that, the cupboard is pretty much bare.  So it should be easy to sort out the halfbacks for this seasons All Blacks.

However (there is always a however, or a but isn't there), the new rules, with the backlines having to be 5 metres back from scrums, it makes being a halfback a whole new kettle of fish.

Who will this new game suit?  Well, one would think a running halfback would stand out more.  You would hope that all halfbacks at Super level have a good enough pass to be able to set their backlines away with that extra five metres, so the difference will be the running game.  The running game and the ability of the backrow to combine with some moves off the base of the scrum.  A quick number eight here will be helpful too, so look for that in the combinations when a halfback starts to look the goods.

Running halfbacks - of the above bunch Leonard and Weepu would stand out as the most Sid Going-esque.  Cowan and Ellis more of your pass first, run later players.

But what do you do for the All Blacks, pick a passer and a runner, or just two runners.  No doubt during the Super season we will see who is most effective, and what works best.  Perhaps just pick the two best halfbacks, be it Ellis / Cowan or Weepu / Leonard.  Just pick the two in form players, and let them rip on the international scene.  I know, I know, picking on form, a strange concept, but I am sure it's been done before...

The four contenders then, in the order of selection preference - mine, not the Cartels...

Piri Weepu , majorly on the outer with the Cartel last year, but I think we need him there.  I would not feel comfortable going into a test match with Leonard and Ellis in the 22, just lacks authority to me.  Whatever Weepu's off field problems are, let's hope they are sorted and we can get him back into the All Black fold again.  The combative little man is exactly what is needed to drive a forward pack.  He will get plenty of chances to showcase his talents too, combining with So'oilao his number eight, who should excel with these new scrum laws.  Almost an unfair advantage, but so be it.  With Collins and Masoe also in the loose forward mix, these four players will be very influential for the Hurricanes and their chances for Super 14 glory.

Jimmy Cowan.  What, picking the two non World Cup All Blacks first.  Well, maybe, a coin toss between Cowan and Leonard, and as C comes before L, I'll list Cowan first.  He may end up being handicapped though, being with a team that is expected to be , well, crap.  With the new rules though, who knows, perhaps the Highlanders will be a different side with these.  Regardless, Cowan will need to play well, and show that he can run with the ball a bit, not just be a distributor and tackling machine.  He would be the best cover defending halfback in New Zealand today by a long way.  So if he adds that extra dimension of running with the ball from broken play and from set pieces, this hard man from the south could find himself back in black.

Brendon Leonard will find his second season of Super rugby harder than his first - or should, as that is usually the way.  However, with the new laws his second season might not be as difficult, as he won't be 'worked out' by video analysis.  If he carries on with his top running and supporting game, he should keep his All Black jersey.  It will make it easier for him though if he adds a Cowan like covering game in defence.  He does get through plenty of work on 'D', as all the top halfbacks do, but if he had Cowan's game in that department, well, he would be number one in NZ I reckon...

Andy Ellis.  Well. I really just listed him here because he was in the All Black squad last year.  I really have not seen him play sod all, but in the game I have seen him play I have, to be honest, wondered why he is an All Black.  Will be looking forward to this season, and watching this bloke with an eagle eye...

Not such a hard one to pick the halfback spots - unless a bolter comes along, but no one stands out from last NPC do they, and the best of the rest are your journeymen like Jamie Nutbrown and company, who have never really looked like All Black material.  Although, as I have mentioned, the new rules, who knows, a dark horse might come to the fore.

The stats.

Piri Weepu  :  Wellington and Hurricanes  :  24 years  :  1.78m  :  96kgs  :  20 caps  :  rugby museum profile

Jimmy Cowan  :  Southland and Highlanders  :  25 years  :  1.83m  :  92kg  :  9 caps  :  rugby museum profile

Brendon Leonard  :  Waikato and Chiefs  :  22 years  :  1.82m  :  92kg  :  9 caps  :  rugby museum profile

Andy Ellis  :  Canterbury and Crusaders  :  23 years  :   1.81m  :  92kg  :  4 caps  :  rugby museum profile