Well, two losses from three against our Souther Hemisphere heavyweight brothers, one at home and one away, not the start to the Tri Nations that anyone would have been hoping!

At last the player drain bites, but in the same breath as launching that excuse, there are still the players in New Zealand to be winning test matches for New Zealand.  They just need to be on the field, in the right position, and in form. And there are probably a few that need to not be on the field...

Perhaps a few egos have to be shelved to get the right people onto the field to start with.  And from both sides of the fence - yes thinking of Weepu's continued non selection in the All Blacks, among other bizarre calls.  He's obviously stood on some toes and won't back down, and neither will the owners of the toes he's stood on.  So the most naturally gifted halfback in New Zealand today is shelved.

Well, Weepu may get his chance this weekend with Ellis (the least naturally gifted halfback in New Zealand rugby) and Cowan both injured.  To be perfectly horrible I hope that Ellis' ribs keep him out of the picture, and Cowan's nose and leg do the same.  Weepu to start, and A N Other on the bench would do me fine.

Then you have the Henry Cartel 'project players'.  The blokes who don't really deserve to be All Blacks (harsh, but oft fair that comment, when you think of Isaia Toeava), but the Cartel think that one day they might be really good.  Well Cartel, call me old fashioned, but let a player prove himself in the lower levels to be the best in his position, and then promote him into the All Blacks. 

Current 'project players' in my mind would be Ellis, who has improved during the test season sure, but he is still average.

Then you have Sione Lauaki.  His is being invested in as an impact player.  Well, he reached his prime on Saturday night,  He made a massive impact.  He would have damn near been Australia's man of the match.  This project needs to be shelved and quickly.  Loose forwards with high work rates, a never say die attitude, and a liking for pain are what makes an All Black loosie.  Kel Tremain would be spinning in his grave after that limp wristed performance from the big Waikato man.

So what to do?  No use crying over the spilt milk of the player exodus.  What is needed I think is a major turn in attitude from the Cartel, or things will go from bad to worse.

We no longer have the player depth to rotate, and the Cartel need to realise that.  It is time to build combinations, and pick players in form, and keep picking them until they get injured or lose form - a sort of natural rotation that isn't it.  Good enough and fit enough you play, injured or not good enough, you don't!

Once a starting XV is built, you can then, and only then start looking for options.  Sure now and then thanks to 'natural rotation' you will have to bring in new players, but one new player in a team with 14 others who knows each others game inside out should be no big deal.  Unlike playing a Kahui / Nonu centre pairing for the second time ever, before subbing on Smith and playing a Smith / Kahui centre pairing, with Kahui playing out of position at 12.

So all these bloody stupid selections have to be shelved.  Lets pick players in form and in position.  Kaino and So'oialo another case in point here.  So'oialo a number eight all season for the Hurricanes, and Kaino a six all season for the Blues.  So the Cartel decide to reverse that - why!!??!!

There are also a few players that need to be let go or phased out, using that 'natural rotation' process.  One of the main ones, and a man who is leaving at the end of the season anyway is Greg Somerville.  The only ace he has up his sleeve over the two props chasing his position is experience.  Both Afoa and Tialata are equals at scrum time, and both probably better around the field than the most capped prop New Zealand rugby has ever produced.  Let the old bugger go now, keeping him on deck adds nothing, and detracts from the two youngsters getting experience and getting better, sooner!!

OK, so we need to select players in form in the here and now, not someone that might be good in 2020!  With that in view here is the team that I would like to see waddle out onto the field this Saturday in the return match against the Wobblies...

15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Rudi Wulf, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Rodney So'oialo, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 James Afoa, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock.  Subs:  Hika Elliot, Neemia Tialata, Anthony Boric, Adam Thomson, Jimmy Cowan, Stephen Donald, Leon MacDonald.

On a side issue though, if the All Blacks wanted to play a twin kicking five eight option, you could add in Stephen Donald at 12 in a straight swap with Nonu.  Donald has experience there, and many a first five has started his career at test leve in a 12 shirt - Carter being one, and a rather successful Aussie Noddy Lynagh was at 12 in the early 80s, when Australia 'Grand Slammed' the home unions.  Just a thought.

Finally, an attitude adjustment from the men in black too.  There seems to be a big fear of losing driving the team, more than a desire to win.  A subtle difference, but a difference all the same.  The Aussies played to win on Saturday, while the All Blacks played not to lose.

So come on Cartel, pull finger, you're time is running short.