KEY POINTS:
Every All Black selection has one major shock in it, but a lot of us are still trying to get over the surprise of seeing Dan Carter's name in a line-up.
Remember him?
He's stocky, with prominent Y-fronts, a range of L to XL shirts that may not have come off the rack, jeans that cost a lot, along with nice teeth and close-cropped, lightly gelled hair.
What a comeback.
His was among the braver All Black selections yesterday (although it would have quickly slid down the queue if they'd given Sione Lauaki another trip) because, as everyone knows, it is imperative that Carter is saved for bigger things down the track.
And a dead-rubber game against the Aussies in Hong Kong followed by a Grand Slam attempt are hardly really big news these days, although they do represent important opportunities to parade Danger-Free Dan in parts of the world that traditionally (although perhaps not at this very moment) have a lot of money to flash around.
Yet the selectors must have been oh so tempted to keep Carter away from the perils of this tour.
For a start, Hong Kong has an incredibly busy airport littered with dangers. We've all heard the horrifying stories - shoulder-to-shoulder contact down the concourse, the wheels on designer luggage becoming entangled and important airport announcements being made in a foreign language.
This is no place to risk a prized footballer, although playing club rugby in France - where Carter is headed - is hardly a health trip either.
Perhaps Carter's brilliant form in dealing with the dangers of opening another of his fashion stores in Newmarket convinced the selectors that he was ready for Hong Kong, although observers say that Newmarket is no longer the test of character it once was.
As for other selection surprises, they are tough to find these days. About the only potential shock selection who isn't in some sort of heavily publicised, wider training group is Dan Carter (too dangerous).
But let's have a crack, for old times' sake.
Ben Franks: In the finest traditions of shock selections, except these days, the tour parties are so big that the selectors don't actually need to play a shock selection. Potential reserve choice against Scotland, at best. Franks is the new John Schwalger, who was the new Clarke Dermody, who was the new Campbell Johnstone, who was the new Saimone Taumoepeau. Franks is the fourth Tasman test forward of recent times (following Chris Jack, Ali Williams and Brad Thorn) but unlike the other three, his career will involve more games for the Makos than the All Blacks. A lot more.
Andy Ellis: Didn't look too healthy the last time he was sighted and wasn't exactly a runaway test success this year. A shock 2007 World Cup selection, when a lot of us suspected that he got a trip on the basis that he was less likely to moan about not playing than Piri Weepu was. Either that, or he puts less strain on the food bill.
Cory Jane: The new Sosene Anesi. Will be hoping that Wayne Smith and Co follow the usual pattern: lose faith in the blokes who are supposed to be the inside backs and turn Mils Muliaina into a midfielder. This won't necessarily get Jane a game, however, because they might decide to turn midfielder Isaia Toeava back into a fullback.
Stephen Donald: The new David Hill but with greater perseverance. Waikato's traditions include players who are long-suffering yet uncomplaining back-ups to test superstars (Warren Gatland and Marty Holah spring to mind). These are men who are just happy to be there, even if they are not really there. But against that, there is the Waikato tradition of getting blokes into the All Blacks who immediately sink without trace from test calculations (too many to mention). The best way for a Waikato player to hang about is to understudy a superstar, and Donald is getting this down to a fine art.
Isaia Toeava: Mr Versatile - it's only a matter of time before someone reckons he could be a test halfback. Apart from that possibility, a lot of the shock value has worn off. But still, it's a decent effort making an All Black squad from the ignomy, and agonies, of being the current Auckland first five-eighths.
Corey Flynn: Can't throw and even got smashed over the sideline by a pint-sized halfback a couple of weeks ago, a tackle that all of us apart from poor little Danny Lee should remember forever. Corey Flynn appears to be the same Corey Flynn these selectors have ignored all along. More of a mystery than a shock.
Jason Eaton: Has spent his time in the wilderness playing like a bloke in the wilderness and even grew his hair and beard for the part. Eaton looked pretty good in the All Black ranks, but that was a couple of years ago. Has played his way in this time by not playing at the pointy end of the Air New Zealand Cup season, whereas Wellington's Jeremy Thrush was thrust into the unfortunate business of being given the chance to play his way out.
Scott Waldrom: Richie McCaw's backup - it will be a shock if he gets to play. Munster calls.
