KEY POINTS:
Missing this week's Samoa test in New Plymouth will rob Richie McCaw of the chance to push his captaincy credentials closer to those of the legendary Sean Fitzpatrick.
Having been heavily bagged last year for his leadership during the World Cup, McCaw is maturing into a great All Black captain according to Graham Henry.
The All Black coach, who worked closely with Fitzpatrick during Auckland's era of domination in the 1990s, says captaincy is not learned overnight. Henry didn't go as far to suggest McCaw is up there alongside Fitzpatrick yet as one of the greatest All Black captains but suggested that could be the case in time.
"Richie is so important to us not just because he's an exceptional player but he's maturing and he's an excellent leader as well," said Henry.
"I think he was an excellent leader [before this year]. But I can remember it took Fitzy some time to mature into the great leader he became. We can't expect players to be great captains in their first test match. It takes time."
A rib injury picked up in Cape Town is the reason McCaw is unlikely to play in New Plymouth, which will deny Henry his desire to pick the strongest possible XV.
It will, however, give him the opportunity to further assess just who the second-best openside is.
As Chris Masoe, Marty Holah and Josh Blackie have headed overseas the All Blacks have no obvious back-up for McCaw at No 7. When McCaw was injured earlier in the campaign, the selectors switched Rodney So'oialo from No 8 to cover and then tried Daniel Braid in Sydney.
Tanerau Latimer, the promising youngster from the Bay of Plenty is also on their radar, but it would seem Braid will get another chance.
"If Richie is not going to be quite right, then we don't want to aggravate his injury," said Henry.
"I think Daniel Braid is a very good footballer and we have some other good players coming through. There is no point, though, in carrying guys in the squad when Richie is there.
"Richie is going to play if he's fit so we don't carry another No 7 in the squad for that reason."
Normally the loss of McCaw would be a major blow but the All Blacks are going to be in the surreal position of playing a test in which no one pays the scoreboard any heed.
Samoa have been unable to gather their European-based players for the match, leaving them with local boys and a few from Japan. With the best will in the world, this is not a squad that will enhance the proud tradition of Manu Samoa.
But that hasn't upset the All Blacks' plans. Wednesday's test in New Plymouth was arranged with one simple goal - to prevent the All Blacks being underdone when they go to Brisbane for the deciding Tri Nations match.
"It was essential we had a game," says Henry. "We need a game - four weeks without playing is too long.
"If we didn't have it, we would be going into the game against Australia underdone. The break was quite good for us as I think some of our guys needed it, so that has been beneficial.
"But we needed a game to get together again and get our rhythm back. We want the guys to have international exposure and it's also great to be able to take the game to the provinces," says Henry.
The important thing, as Henry sees it, is for the All Blacks to click back into the groove they found in both Auckland and Cape Town.
The result is essentially irrelevant. Henry wants to see his players following patterns, combining with each other and sharpening their reactions.
The impact of this weekend's provincial games will have to be factored in before the team is announced tomorrow with several possible starters in action. Sitiveni Sivivatu has a leg niggle and Andy Ellis and Leon MacDonald have already been ruled out with injury.
And to hear Henry talk of his strongest XV and his intention to play it, is both refreshing and a little unusual. For much of last year, Henry was reluctant to concede the All Blacks even had a top XV.
Henry felt the best XV back then fluctuated each week depending on the built-up workloads of the players and the opposition.
Now things are a little more clear-cut. For the first time in his five-year tenure, Henry picked an unchanged XV for the All Blacks' last test in South Africa. He says the coaching panel have a clear idea now of what their strongest XV is, although there is little to choose between some players in some positions.
