Henry and Co could do a lot worse than call up Rene Ranger - and Victor Vito is one to watch
They used to say that it was tougher to get out of the All Blacks than into it.
That might have been true once - many was the young gun who banged away on the door while an old hand hung on to the black jersey a few seasons past their prime. But the results tended to come in.
Things are different today.
The pace of the game and the need to have a good selection base from which to pull talent means that good players have a clearer run to the top in the modern day.
If you have the right qualities, chances are you'll get a fair crack pretty soon.
(Which is not to say I'd fancy being an up-and-coming openside flanker while Richie McCaw rules the roost!)
So things are rosier for bolters in the modern age and, with the rulebook this season encouraging running play, a couple of young bolters have taken their chance to show their credentials.
And yet for all the promise of bolters, the meat and gristle of the first All Black squad of the year will be made up of established names.
If Graham Henry and Co are in the mood to take a chance on an outside name then they could do a lot worse than calling up Rene Ranger.
He's had a great spell with the Blues and is really thriving under the rules that encourage players to test defences.
The thing I like about Ranger as a player is that you can sense how much he wants to take the man on. He's busy around the park and is always eager to be involved.
He's had a couple of handy runs in the midfield, but Henry wouldn't be looking for versatility from Ranger. The kid is a great winger for the game the way it is played right now.
With spread defences quickly gobbling up space, he's quick to let his instincts kick in. Ranger can give you the immediate advantage of having a go at his opposite number and, more often than not, leaving them for dead.
Now that's the kind of wingplay that Eden Park crowds have come to expect over the years.
Another stating his case clearly for a bolter's call-up is Victor Vito, but I suspect his track to the top has some way to go yet. When he gets there though, it'll be worth the wait.
Vito looks like he could become one of those very special All Black loosies. The guys who read the game perfectly and know just when to throw their frame into the fray. And as anyone who's seen the kid play sevens will know, he's hard to stop when he's got a bit of space and the ball in his mitts.
I wouldn't be surprised to see either Ranger or Vito in the All Blacks this season, but I hope the gem of a XV-a-side player that Vito is developing into is allowed to mature properly.
The Hurricanes have provided a great environment for him to develop and those who work with Vito speak wonders about him. Maybe it's best to let them nurture that talent a little more.
Neither Vito nor Ranger will disappoint if given the opportunity to run in the black jersey - rare is the man who doesn't rise to that great occasion.
* Inga Tuigamala played 19 tests for the All Blacks.
