Chris Rattue: Plenty to mull over in All Black squad

The All Blacks have often stomped all over the Northern Hemisphere lot, and these days they try to do it with a decent carbon footprint.

So you'd think that out of a party of 33 for the six-game assignment, the team would have plenty of room for the blokes who do all the hard work.

Yet there are just 11 tight forwards for the sojourn, including only two proper hookers.

One of them - Corey Flynn - is so injury prone that the Hawkes Bay hooker Hika Elliot could do worse for his career than plan an impromptu holiday which happens to involve well-timed visits to Tokyo, Cardiff, Milan, Marseilles and London.

Flynn has broken his left arm four times, although the right arm is much sturdier, having been cracked only once. Flynn's arms are so delicate that everyone breathes a sigh of relief when he makes it unscathed through an airport frisking. Andrew Hore might be a very busy man.

It raises another question: has the Mooloo curse struck again. In other words, is this the end before it really started for Aled de Malmanche, who won't be able to rest easy with Waikato any more.

The prop stocks for this tour are healthy until you remember that one of them might, presumably, have to be a back-up hooker and that one of the hookers is Flynn.

Which brings us to the locks.

Everyone seems most concerned about the psychological damage Isaac Ross will suffer from being left at home for this tour, although he is surely made of sterner stuff than that. We all have let downs in life. His career isn't exactly over.

This could actually be a lucky break.

The tall tyro would have suffered far greater psychological damage if he'd made the tour and found a prop such as Owen Franks chucking the ball to him in the lineout at Twickers because Flynn had broken down again.

Not a bad tour to miss actually - better to wait until Kevvy Mealamu gets back.

It's debatable about who needs who when it comes to Ross.

Ross might need a bit of extra weightlifting, for sure, but not as badly as the All Blacks need him for this tour.

Brad Thorn, Anthony Boric, Tom Donnelly, Jason Eaton - even the Italians will fancy themselves against that lot.

Thorn is a fabulous grunt machine but he's no lineout genius, Boric is still a test unknown and working back from a long injury break, Donnelly is a decent battler to put it nicely, and judging by the way he played, Eaton appeared as confused as the public about his recall this year.

The squad includes loose forwards for Africa and all sorts of potential combinations so the All Blacks should be all right there - unless Richie McCaw breaks down.

Basically, our loose forwards look brilliant, menacing, confident and all-conquering if McCaw is there. They play as though they have hit the jackpot, which they have. But without McCaw it turns into a lottery. Funny that.

Out in the backs, the selectors had 14 players to juggle around because it is written in stone that Luke McAlister is picked, even though he is playing like someone who has been on holiday in Europe. Old thunder thighs has the golden touch when it comes to getting into teams.

There are all sorts of combinations and possibilities in the inside backs, and hard to predict just how this might turn out except to say that McAlister will undoubtedly be given every chance no matter how well the rest of them are doing.

Hooray for Mike Delany, who has impressed everyone, particularly as he has emerged from the rugby back blocks. Delany is a one time journeyman who refused to buy in to the limits others might have set for him. There's hope for rugby fairytales still, although a pecking order headed by Dan Carter is a tall order for anyone else.

As for wings, how terrific to see Zac Guildford win selection. He deserves it and Joe Rokocoko didn't.

The message should be clear to Rokocoko, and the selectors have done a good job in delivering it. It's shape up or ship out time fella. Have a rest, get yourself ready for next year, and give it a blast. Otherwise ... this column's prediction: we've seen the last of Puffing Joe because there are too many young guns lining up for the job and the game is up for him.

You had to wonder about Rokocoko's future the minute he started appearing on magazine covers while taking a fair old paternity break.

Some players are invigorated by distractions, while others simply become distracted.

Richie McCaw can fly planes whenever he likes, and you know his feet will still be firmly on the ground.

With others, you're not so sure. Rokocoko's game was shaky yet fame had set up camp while desperation rode off into the sunset.

As for Ben Smith, who would know.

Many of us would rather do the ironing than watch Otago or the Highlanders, so he's a real mystery.

The name rings a bell, but will it get any louder?

If Smith gets a chance, it's going to add an enticing aspect to the tour. We all love a good mystery and ardent readers of the game say Smith has the goods.

If the other outside backs stay fit, it's hard to work out how Smith will fit in the scheme of things, but we're all about to find out.

Have no fear though. He's a special young man surrounded by a wonderful group, a special project perhaps, and one being guided by a very special group of coaches and selectors.

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How strange to see Leo Bertos running around on the left wing for the Phoenix against the North Queensland Roar on Saturday night. Remember, this is the same Leo Bertos who played as a right wingback for the All Whites in their World Cup qualifying draw against Bahrain in Manama. This takes versatility to new levels. Ricki Herbert coaches both sides. Stranger still, the Phoenix have now drawn six games in a row.

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The sound advice that a goalkeeper should never take his eyes off the ball has got a right kicking. Liverpool goalie Pepe Reina was clearly watching the wrong one when the proper ball deflected off a beach ball - thrown on to the pitch by a Liverpool supporter - and into his goal to assist Sunderland to victory. The goal was almost as bizarre as Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez's comment - "these things happen". It's a first for most of us Rafa, and almost certainly the only time anyone's had fun with a beach ball in Sunderland.