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The warm up games, the opposed training sessions masquerading as tests are over, and the real thing is about to start, the Tri Nations, the last gauge of where we are at before the Rugby World Cup. The kickoff of the Tri was last night, and the Boers, the best side in the world if you listen to any reporter from the republic, struggled past the Aussies, 22-19, two late drop goals giving them the win. Hopefully that will shut those brain surgeons up, the ones who think that Super 14 form has anything to do with International rugby at all. Ask the 1998 All Blacks about that one. Super 14 has as much bearing on International rugby as the NBA finals. So, with the posturing over, the series started, who do you pick to run out against the Steroid Brutes in a weeks time? A few players will have played themselves into contention, a few will have played themselves out, and I even think some might have advanced their cases by not playing at all! Of course there are also the no brinier selections, the spaces on the team sheets that are printed when they come back from the copy shop, Carter, McCaw, Hayman, Woodcock, So’oilao and Collins. Saves the headmaster pencil lead, having these names pre printed…
To the team then, we’ll start up front, as that is the easiest, and would have been even easier if Jack was not having babies, and Williams getting lock jaw and Robinson’s calf Tupperware calf muscle not giving out. If two of them had been fit, than it would have been even easier, but as none are, now it gets hard, but I digress. Withouth further ado. announcing the team to beat the Boers in Durban next week. 1: Tony Woodcock (North Harbour, Blues, 29 tests).Who else, but the best loosehead prop in the world? Schwalger would probably go alright here in the ‘A’ team forward pack, but in the here and now, Woody gets the nod for the big games. 2: Kevin Mealamu (Auckland, Blues, 43 tests).A tight call here between Mealamu and Oliver, but I think this test will finish with trench warfare, which will suit Oliver more, so he will be ought on later, as opposed to starting. Mealamu’s close in running game will be more effective early this time out. I think… 3: Carl Hayman (Otago, Highlanders, 37 tests).The best tighthead in the world, who else would you put here, John Afoa….! 4: Greg Rawlinson (North Harbour, Blues, 2 tests).The jutting jawed one will have played himself in by not playing this week against the Canadians, and by being the only genuine lock left in New Zealand. Filipo in the mould of Flavell, and having two swan off shotgun locks just does not work in this day and age. 5: Troy Flavell (Auckland, Blues, 20 tests).Gets the nod over Filipo thanks to experience, as he has not been playing great code over the All Black campaign. Flat track bully, nah, just stuck between a rock and a hard place – he’s not lock, and not a loose forward – a tweener (due credit to Prison Break).You never know though, the Cartel could spring a surprise and bring Thorne into lock, but I think they will bring him on once the game is underway, for the later stages when the siege is on and workers first and foremost are needed. 6: Jerry Collins (Wellington, Hurricanes, 40 tests).There’s only one Jerry Collins, there’s only one Jerry Collins, (sing it, you know the words)… Scary Jerry will be at his best as the All Blacks bring out their ‘A’ game and raise to the challenge of the Boers. One part of the three part mix that adds up to more than the sum of it’s parts, along with McCaw and So’oilao. 7: Richie McCaw (Canterbury, Crusaders, 51 tests).The second part of the ‘Collins Mix Cocktail’ or whatever you might call it. Best in the world, and was starting to look better once he came on in that Canadian test match. Will be interesting to see how many cheap shots he cops this week from the Boers. Watch Schulk ‘brainless’ Burger closely here!! 8: Rodney So’oilao (Wellington, Hurricanes, 33 tests).Without So’oialo, the All Black loose trio has a stirred, not shaken look to it – much better when the one secret ingredient is added, and that is So’oialo. 9: Byron Kelleher (Waikato, Chiefs, 51 tests).Expereince will get Kelleher the nod to start this game over the just as in form Weepu, and game plan. As I have alluded to above, I think the test will degenerate into a slug fest on the trenches over the last 20minutes, and Weepu is the man for that job. Kelleher the man for the opening stanzas of the test, where it will be a bit more open and flowing. Just hope he can keep away from Matfield and his magic forearm. 10: Dan Carter (Canterbury, Crusaders, 37 tests).Who the bloody else would you have here? 11: Sitiveni Sivivatu (Waikato, Chiefs, 15 tests).Best winger on display for the All Blacks at the moment, looking for work like never before in his career. This lad really does want to be hoisting a certain cup aloft in a few months time!! Has been lightning off the mark and changing direction on the back of postage stamp in the close quarter stuff. Doing some of his best work in close t the fatties, whose turning radiuses oft times leave something to be desired. Will just have to look out for the low flying swinging arms of these slow dinosaurs! 12: Aaron Mauger (Canterbury, Crusaders, 40 tests).That experience thing again, and the fact that he is playing better than lucky Luke in 12 at the moment will give Mauger the start. Probablt the closest called selection in the team, but 40 versus 15 in the cap count would have swayed in the veterans way. Has been solid in defence too, perhaps working on this during the R&R. Also, like Panadol and Scary Jerry, looking much quicker since his comeback. 13: Isaia Toeava (Auckland, Blues, 7 tests).Throw the rookie into the cauldron. The Blues did in their semi final against the Sharks a few weeks back, and even moved him in a spot to 12 to do so, and he came up trumps. If it all turns to custard, there will be Mils, and even McAlsiter waiting in the wings to step in. I don’t think they will be needed though. The Toeava v2007 is a lot different from the v2006. Bloody quick too – in fact this All Black backline to a man has serious pace now, any breaks made will have to be quickly shut down, otherwise it will be five or seven points every time. 14: Joe Rokocoko (Auckland, Blues, 41 tests).Eat at Hungry Joe’s. I like that for a name of a restaurant – Hungry Joe’s. Anyway, the Rock has looked hungry in his comeback to playing rugby, as opposed to watching it for the Blues this season as coach of the year Nucifora left him in the stand in his civvies. But I am not here to sledge Nucifora, as that is what the Forum is for. Rokocoko will get the nod for two reasons, one, Howlett is staying behind to have babies, like Jack (who’d have thought eh, who’d have thought), and was out of sorts against the Canuks at the weekend. Rokocoko on the other hand is looking his usual All Black self, but still running on only about five cylinders of his V8… 15: Leon MacDonald (Canterbury, Crusaders, 46 tests).Wow, what a difference a test makes, just 24 little hours (OK, getting songs mixed up again here). But, from the French test 1, to the second test, to his 30 or so minutes against the Canuks, MacDonald has got better and better, and would now be near the top end of hi form scale I reckon. More so than the rusty looking Mils in the weekend. So here, just throw in the form player. 16: Anton Oliver (Otago, Highlanders, 52 tests).Big, strong and a grenade for a face. Ideal to bring on once the going gets tough, and it will, and they will. 17: Neemia Tialata (Wellington, Hurricanes, 15 tests).Bring off the more tired looking of the two props with twenty to go and bring on the mad strangler and tell the massive man to run his legs off and make every minute count, as there will not be many of them to saviour over the next few months. So make every moment on the field count. 18: Reuben Thorne (Canterbury, Crusaders, 47 tests).Cometh the man, cometh the hour and all that. Bring Reuben on when the going gets tough, at lock. Who would I replace, Flavell or Rawlinson? To be brutally frank, Flavell, leaving on two genuine players who do the hard yards first, and don’t be swanning around in the midfield for 80 minutes… 19: Chris Masoe (Wellington, Hurricanes, 13 tests).Masoe has proved that he is not a test level number eight, or openside flanker for that matter, but an ideal bench player as he covers all three positions adequately, which is more than any other loose forward in New Zealand can do with the same level of effectiveness. Starting tests though, would much rater a Laukai or a Holah – specialists – were bought into the fold. 20: Piri Weepu (Wellington, Hurricanes, 17 tests).Will be bought in with 30 to go to mix it up with the big, tired Boer forwards. Likes to run in close, and is a strong little bugger, perhaps one of his surging runs with an offload to a Sivivatu or Rokocoko coming in looking for work could change this game when it counts. 21: Luke McAlister (North Harbour, Blues, 14 tests).His time will come, just not yet, and just not this week – but he is continuing to play well and giving the Cartel a headache over who to pick in 12 each week, which is a good thing. 22: Mils Muliaina (Waikato, Chiefs, 48 tests).Centre of fullback? Mils will get onto the field at some stage, but where is the question I think. Just needs more game time to get back into form and snatch his fifteen jersey back from Panadol. So there you go, my test team to beat the Boers next week, plenty of experience up front and out wide – most of these All Black players now have enough experience to know when to do what in most given situations. Roll on Saturday!
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