All Blacks: High stakes despite predictable result

The result is a no-brainer. There will be times of struggle, periods of torment too but the All Blacks will take their undefeated streak against Italy into double-figures tonight in Christchurch.

Conditions may turn a bit tasty but that will not change the outcome. They will, however, put some extra heat on the skills and temperament of those fringe contenders pushing for places in the Tri-Nations squad to be announced next week.

The selectors will also be under the pump. With a high attrition rate they have had the luxury of picking 32 players for the June tests with some like Richard Kahui dropping out quickly, then Rudi Wulf on the eve of the opening test, Adam Thomson and now Ali Williams before his scheduled comeback.

Captain Richie McCaw, wing Sitiveni Sivivatu and No 8 Rodney So'oialo are all reported to be near racing trim for a return to action and the selection cull is coming.

The magic number for Tri-Nations travel is 26, although extra players can be taken but must be paid for by the New Zealand Rugby Union.

So this test will be a trial for many with the selectors looking to draft a number from the bench to compare them with those who have done the early duty.

Those under the spotlight in particular tonight will be loosehead prop Wyatt Crockett and backup Owen Franks, openside flanker Tanerau Latimer and deputy George Whitelock, halfback Brendon Leonard, utility Isaia Toeava and wings Joe Rokocoko and Lelia Masaga.

They are all vulnerable because of their mixed form, time out through injury or the arrival of the cavalry.

The continuing Achilles injury for Williams makes him a no show for any further duty.

His exit is balanced by the way Isaac Ross has begun his career and the selectors' faith that Bryn Evans is the best backup, a belief which has had them enveloped in the All Black methods for the past month.

Medical checks this week on the status of Wulf and Sivivatu will define the wing choices, while some players' utility value, like Toeava, make him more valuable in a truncated squad. McCaw's return is a shoe-in, the choice of his deputy not so clear-cut between Thomson, Latimer and Whitelock and perhaps dependent on Thomson's hand injury.

What will the Italians bring? According to their experienced coach Nick Mallett they are ready for the match, they are not longing for home, yet.

They have arrived with their optimism intact, after two reasonable efforts against the Wallabies, says Mallett.

They were not disheartened and were determined to play with dignity, and courage and to show their rugby values.

Their set piece work in the scrums and lineouts was tidy but they needed to improve their defence where they found the evasive skills of backs in this part of the world much harder to contain than those who played their rugby in Europe.

The All Blacks' task must be all about foundations.

They must be asked to scrum, ruck and lineout with the venom they showed in Wellington while the backs need to stick to some basics to build their rhythm and confidence.

They will all be itching to have a go.

Leonard will be champing hard to make an impact after his time away, Luke McAlister too, while the wings will be twitchy about making a statement.

Finding a balance between adventure and discipline will be the call in a match where players' individual decisions and actions will come under much greater scrutiny as the Tri-Nations approaches.