Chris Rattue: Rest McCaw to force others to be daring

The selectors won't drop McCaw, partly because the man himself would be livid. Photo / Greg Bowker

Go on Graham Henry. Send the All Blacks out against Wales without Richie McCaw because that's the only way to get a handle on the state of this team and learn priceless World Cup lessons.

The selectors won't drop McCaw, partly because the man himself would be livid. Great sports leaders want to make a stand, not sit in one. And yes, it's a bit rich suggesting this move while being among the many who condemned the old rotation policy.

This is the time, though, to sit McCaw down even if it gives the Welsh wobblies a teeny-weeny sniff of victory.

Not everyone, or probably hardly anyone, will agree with this "Give Richie a Rest" sentiment, and one prominent voice has already put forward a strong counter-argument.

All Black legend Sean Fitzpatrick was bang on the mark in his Herald on Sunday column which backed the revamped selection policy of virtually no rotation.

In the best you must trust, said Fitzpatrick, along with trusting the character of those in the wings should they be needed on a big occasion.

As Fitzpatrick said, trying to cover for every possibility through repeated selection changes is self defeating.

And let's be clear: Henry and his mates have done a fantastic job of rebuilding the All Blacks based around their new, stable selection tactics.

But I'll go against that credo and suggest that an exception to an excellent rule will reap outstanding long-term dividends.

There would be so much to gain finding out how these blokes would respond if McCaw was missing. This would further embolden the team and force players to discover new gears and responsibilities which are impossible to find while McCaw casts such a huge shadow.

McCaw wasn't error free against Ireland but in game after game for the three Cs - Canterbury, Crusaders and country - this remarkable footballer is either man of the match or close to it. His desperation, will to win, perpetual motion, range of skills and overall influence shines.

The McCaw factor was needed in Dublin.

Ireland stuck it to the All Blacks for nearly 40 minutes and the All Blacks' initial response wasn't too flash.

There were shades of Cardiff 2007 as unfancied Ireland's swarming defence applied the brakes to the All Blacks' fast start in another rip-roaring rugby test under the new rule interpretations.

Ireland put on the slicker moves when they occasionally had the ball. The Irish subtleties were a lesson for cumbersome England as to what real running rugby is all about.

Ireland gave the All Blacks attacking lessons as well.

In comparison, the All Blacks shovelled the ball across the field, not helped by an alarming lack of trickery from the much-vaunted centre partnership of Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith.

Daniel Carter scored a lot of points and ran the game very well but he ain't always the Carter of old. The golden one used to be a strategic hot knife through butter, but nowadays the butter is fresh from the freezer and the knife lukewarm.

Okay, in the end the big All Black hammer nailed Ireland yet again, and a major bonus was the most active performance in a long time from veteran prop Tony Woodcock.

But McCaw is the man. You can see it, you know it, you sense it.

This is the one area where the Fitzpatrick theory might fall down, because should a really big day arrive at the same time as a McCaw injury, then all hell could break loose.

The shock of losing his inspiring influence - not to mention the workrate of two top players - would be too much.

These All Blacks need a chance to find out they would respond and adapt without the most influential man to ever pull on a rugby jersey. In the process, the All Blacks' would find new ways to advance their performance and World Cup hopes and give his back-up invaluable game time.

Now is the perfect time, the only one remaining, before an all-or-nothing attitude must take hold in the World Cup year.

Weekend winner:

Rugby's 2011 World Cup. More topsy-turvy results in Europe have at least given the impression that it will be a well-contested tournament.

What to watch:

The battle for the Ashes. Cricket's historic and fascinating centrepiece resumes when Australia and England face off in Brisbane, starting Thursday.