KEY POINTS:
Rotation. That policy with the All Blacks was done and dusted, no more after the Tri-Nations, or so we were told.
The end of year tour was the ideal time for a World Cup dress-rehearsal, checking hotels, transport, planning and player selection for next year's tournament.
Of course, any coach who is not flexible is not worth his considerable coin but the idea of a World Cup road-test has been compromised because of the lure of the dollar.
A guaranteed fee of more than $3 million from tomorrow's test at Twickenham has impacted on all the rhetoric about the rotation interment. The England test was always on the table but was not confirmed until late in the year.
Without it, the World Cup hit-out could have been pursued against France (twice) then Wales.
It is hard not to think the New Zealand Rugby Union pushed hard for the extra test because they knew about coach Graham Henry's plans to remove 22 players from half of next year's Super 14.
The NZRU may have anticipated the annoyed reaction from News Ltd and the threat of compensation demands or trimming of their annual financial contribution to the Super and Tri-Nations series.
Best collect the cheque from England tomorrow as insurance. The NZRU also has to cough up for the Super 14 replacement players.
With the extra test and Henry's reluctance to play his top team every week, there were going to be changes on tour. We have yet to find out how that pans out but Henry has now changed the public utterances to say the initial two tests will include the majority of players before he finds the best 22 for the second test against France and the conclusion against Wales.
The best 22 or should that be the most appropriate 22? If the All Blacks win three in a row, does that mean those who have not started a test will get the chance against Wales?
It is all a bit fuzzy - like the selections for this tour where the panel seemed to get themselves in a bit of a pickle.
Originally the limit was 30 players to replicate the World Cup but that was bumped up by two. Within that amended figure, there was indecision because of the fitness problem with Neemia Tialata, who could cover both sides of the scrum. The selectors did not put themselves under pressure - instead, they lumped that on a restrictive five loose forwards by choosing 13 others for the tight five duties.
They have not picked any new faces from the Air New Zealand Cup other than Andrew Ellis. All those you figured would fall off the radar as the side was trimmed have - those who were fit such as Marty Holah, Greg Rawlinson, Jimmy Cowan, Jerome Kaino, David Hill, Scott Hamilton, Casey Laulala, Sam Tuitupou, and Mose Tuiali'i. They were always extras.
The end of year decisions are all being governed by World Cup and the removal of those 22 All Blacks from Super 14 competition.
The selectors would have been advised by their conditioning staff about the best scheme for honing those players but you wonder why they could not have had managed rests and played in Super 14. The reputation of the competition would not have taken such a hit.
The World Cup has brought a grisly impact. For a possible three games next October, the influence has been way too intrusive on all other areas of the national game.
If only that World Cup was being decided now - not because the All Blacks are in form but it would eliminate much of the rotation scheme.
- HERALD ON SUNDAY
