ABs: Selection axe looming large

Israel Dagg is seen as being under pressure to retain his place ahead of the World Cup. Photo / Getty

As rugged and dogged as the Pumas are likely to be on Friday night, the All Blacks' main opponent may be the growing anxiety that has settled in the camp as a consequence of the looming World Cup selection cull.

Head coach Steve Hansen has become aware this week that nervousness has taken hold of some players and left them fretting about their longer term futures.

Such a scenario hasn't taken the coaching staff by surprise. Similar fears and anxieties have been prevalent at the same juncture in previous World Cup campaigns.

It's an inevitable consequence of supply being greater than demand and players becoming focused on the outcome rather than the process of playing well.

"Probably too mindful," said Hansen when he was asked whether players have become conscious that there are only four tests left for them to stake a claim for World Cup inclusion.

"Some of them I think are probably worrying about it more than they need to. As I have said to them, they can't control selection. That's [Grant] Foxy's, Fozzy's [assistant coach Ian Foster] and my job.

"Their job is to go out and perform. That is the one thing they can control. That comes from preparing well during the week and letting their talents speak for themselves."

No one, it seems, is immune from feeling that pressure with Hansen suggesting that some veteran players - many of whom would be rock solid certainties to go to England - are feeling as unsure as the new arrivals.

"It means a lot to them," said Hansen. "Whether you have been here five minutes or whether you have been here for a long time, of course they get anxious just like everyone else.

"There is a lot of talent in this group at the moment. There are 41 players and everyone knows we can only take 31 to the World Cup so there is a little bit of edge there. That is not a bad thing. It is about learning to cope with that and control it. And at the same time operate within that because that is what we are going to face right throughout the World Cup.

Israel Dagg is one of the senior players many see as being most under pressure to retain his place. Such an electric and gifted footballer at his best, Dagg, mainly due to injury, hasn't been quite the player of old for the last two seasons now.

In his first two seasons - 2010 and 2011 - he was the man who could do wrong. He had pace, vision and the confidence to back himself to beat defenders. He was the perfect fullback as his work under the high ball and siege gun boot completed his portfolio.

But that version hasn't been seen for an age and definitely not in 2015 as his season has again been hampered by injury, restricting him to just five games for the Crusaders before he ran out against Samoa last week.

However, Hansen didn't agree with the notion that the test against the Pumas is Dagg's last chance to impress.

"I don't think it is his last chance," said Hansen. "He has had plenty of chances and I have heard that story a few times before and he has ended up coming back into form.

"Israel's problem at the moment is that he hasn't had any games. He's only played what...five games for the Crusaders. He's not had football so it is a big ask to come back after playing no rugby to play a test.

"But we don't have any other option if we want to get him back to the level of performance that he can produce then we have got to play him. We have got a lot of confidence in him and he should have a lot of confidence in himself."