Henry may spring surprise for second test 

Graham Henry has looked a man at ease during this Lions tour so far. Unless this is an academy nomination-winning piece of acting - and last night showed it wasn't - he has grown comfortably into the role of All Black coach compared to the strained man hunted out of Wales a few years ago.

And, even though the All Blacks repaid his faith with last night's convincing first test victory over the Lions, it is not beyond the pale that the phlegmatic Henry may spring a surprise or two for the second test.

Although there will plainly be no major overhauls, he has already proved he is prepared to change a winning side - four unforced changes from the team which dismembered France (Mils Muliaina, Conrad Smith, Byron Kelleher, Joe Rokocoko) is proof of that - and he will want to keep Sir Clive Woodward and his Napoleonic army of generals guessing for Wellington and hopefully their Waterloo.

So where might changes, if any, come?

Most of the critics of this team were united in their opposition to the lack of a specialist No 7 back-up - a vulnerability underlined when the All Blacks pulled Marty Holah off the bench for Wednesday's Junior All Blacks match against Queensland when McCaw's back started playing up. While the All Black camp knew that Australia was just a trantasman flight away, the collective heart failure that threatened every time Richie McCaw got down and dirty in the depths of the rucks and mauls might conceivably have had an effect on second test selection.

However, the All Blacks are reportedly happy with their team structure and Rodney So'oialo did well in the ball scrabbling phases. So it seems certain Holah will head back to the Junior All Black tour of Australia if McCaw scrubs up fit and well for next week.

One option for change is at halfback. Justin Marshall was rewarded for a stellar season with the starting jersey in Christchurch but it would be only a mild surprise to see Henry opt for Kelleher in Wellington, if only to remind us all that while Marshall will be a resident of Leeds next year, Kelleher will be resident All Black halfback. Marshall played his usual muscular, aggressive and decisive match in Christchurch and All Black rugby has had no more willing servant. However, he had two or three wobbles and it may be that Henry decides to give Kelleher's marginally faster pass and his scuttling, low-running breaks from the base of the ruck a trot in Wellington.

Another possible option is Rokocoko - apparently whipped into world-beating form again in Australia with the Juniors' 48-10 win over Queensland.

His three tries and assist in another led a bewildered Queensland coach, Jeff Miller, to say: "Who said he was out of form? I thought he was absolutely fantastic."

Sitiveni Sivivatu did nothing wrong and scored a wonderful try after a Tana Umaga pass which may have broken the test record for length of pass between centre and wing. Sivivatu looks to have a long All Black career ahead but Rokocoko's experience might have gained some extra advantage last night.

That might be a Fijian too far at this stage. However, there is a possibility that, with one test tucked away in his satchel, Henry might look at some more game time for Derren Witcombe, well though Keven Mealamu played last night.

While a starting place might not be forthcoming just yet, the Lions scrum did not exert the influence expected of it and there will likely be changes there. It's understood that Henry believes the Lions front row is eminently attackable and that a bulky, scrummaging hooker will help them to do so and create a better platform for the backs.

It is not the All Black way to change too much, too fast, particularly after an opening test match which usually sees a stuttering performance. However, it was the Lions that stuttered. If you look at the possible changes it all adds up to an answer the Lions will not like: even more speed in the All Black camp with the ability to spread the ball faster and get to it faster.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY