Graham Lowe: Kiwis can't afford to field less than their best

With the prime beef of our two major football codes now in the pastures of Britain I couldn't help reflecting on the vastly different challenges facing Kiwis coach Brian McClennan and his All Black counterpart Graham Henry.

There are a few similarities between the two coaches, but when it comes to the challenges they face they are miles apart.

The depth of talent available to McClennan may be greater than ever, yet he still does not have the luxury of putting out a B side in his next test against Great Britain on Sunday morning.

Even the slightest wrong tweak of his line-up could spell disaster because the opposition is so close. It's the same for Wayne Bennett and his Aussies and Brian Noble when he picks his Great Britain side.

Some would argue that just the change of Frank Pritchard for the second test against Australia from the second row after he had played well in the first test weakened the Kiwis fatally.

That is obviously not the situation facing Henry, who remarkably can afford to change a whole side from test to test.

Test match league between the Tri-Series combatants is a dog-eat-dog sport. The opposition will murder you given half the chance if they see you are not fielding your best available side.

Like rugby, the future must always be considered, particularly league's world cup, and the need to develop players to consistent test standards. But if you made the number of changes to any of the teams playing in the Tri-Series that the All Blacks did this week it would spell coaching suicide and certain failure.

I can conclude only that the standard of opposition the All Blacks are up against must be woeful, and it is disrespectful to invite them on such a high-profile tour and serve up the quality of opposition that this Grand Slam expedition seems to be revealing.

The Kangaroos are probably the All Blacks of the league world when it comes to depth of talent. But their supremacy internationally would be over if they tried Graham Henry's "your turn".

That is because the game itself produces a mentality of survival in both players and teams.

Playing an Australian B side would excite any opposition to feats beyond their normal.

The Aussies just couldn't, and wouldn't, risk it.

Quite apart from that, the fans in Australia would not stand for their national representative side not fielding their best players in every test. I've got to say I'm of the same opinion.

I would be spitting chips if I thought the coach of the Kiwis was using test matches as trials, which is basically what's happening on the All Black tour.

Tradition plays a major role in our sport, and some of the great rugby players from past eras and tours gone by must be scratching their heads.

The mid-week games were always the opportunities given to the fringe players (the dirt trackers), and those who had proven themselves with consistency throughout the domestic competitions were rewarded with the first test jerseys.

Granted, there are few mid-week games on the modern-style tour, but in my view this doesn't change the level of respect there must be in the black jersey.

I say every time a player has the honour to pull the jersey on, he must have the mindset that he has truly earned it as the best player in that position available at that time.

If Bennett gave his star Australian players a rest against New Zealand or Great Britain, they would not only get cleaned up but he would be looking for another job.

Last week's test match between Great Britain and the Kangaroos was a great spectacle, but Australia were always going to win.

The Poms are under enormous pressure in this Tri-Series tournament but then so are the Aussies.

Australia beat them because they forgot to play their own brand of football.

You cannot take Australia on at their own game.

Great Britain's strength is their support play. But once again they delivered their version of the power game in the first half, and Australia said thank you very much.

I am excited about New Zealand's chances of a clean sweep in their remaining games and hope the Kiwis stick to what has worked for them so well under McClennan's leadership.

Not having the experienced Stacey Jones at halfback is unfortunate, and the late withdrawal of Lance Hohaia presents some real problems in the halves.

This weekend's game against Great Britain will be the Kiwis' most difficult test this year. The Brits will bring an intensity that is up another gear on what they have faced up until now.

But with the intensity will also come a few opportunities for the likes of Motu Tony.

Great Britain will use a rushing defence to try to unsettle the inside combinations of the Kiwis, but that method also brings an element of risk for them.

The more nimble players can sidestep charging forwards, and this is where I see breaks coming.

Noble will be quietly confident when he reflects on the way the Kiwis defence opened up out wide in the second half two weeks ago.

He will fancy his chances with a plan that runs his strike players two and three wide of the ruck at the area that looked suspect in the second half.

Also Keiron Cunningham will provide a major threat around the ruck area as he did against Australia.

He is the best dummy-half runner in the world. Given a moment's freedom he can win a game on his own with his explosive darts, particularly against a marker defence showing any signs of fatigue.

But the Kiwis are in the box seat and should be even better than they have been since the start of this series.

It is vital McClennan keeps his whip out because they cannot afford to drop their intensity.

Most have written off Great Britain's chances, but I don't underestimate the Bulldog spirit.

Australia did not do the Kiwis any favours by winning last Sunday, making the Lions even more determined to register on the points table.

I note an interesting development in Auckland Rugby League this week.

A new group calling themselves ARL First are standing for election to the Auckland Board.

The ARL First group is offering former representative player Steve Brewster and Mt Albert stalwart Rocky Cavanagh for election to the board.

The encouraging aspect is that they've actually done their homework and are offering, if elected, to advocate the removal of the ARL levy to clubs and the abolition of payments by clubs to the ARL for home games.

They're also wanting a review of the structure of the ARL and an incentive and rewards scheme for clubs promoting growth.

Brewster has been a successful businessman in recent years, and has a real passion for the game.

Cavanagh is a shrewd and experienced campaigner, and I think league would benefit from the approach these two would bring to the board.