Inga Tuigamala: Donald's arrival at No 10 reveals much about All Black depth

Opinion

Commonsense should prevail when it comes to picking the players to hopefully win the World Cup on home soil in 2011.

It seems a long way off, but time will fly between now and then and if the All Blacks selectors are truly looking at only two unnamed overseas-based players to bolster those at home, I'd urge them to think again.

New Zealand has long produced a conveyor belt of gifted players fuelled by the ambition to become an All Black.

In these professional days, New Zealand players pop up all around the globe. They are in high demand.

But having said that, I'm not sure we have the depth of quality we've had in earlier periods and with that in mind, the selectors should have an open mind when it comes to players best suited to winning the Webb Ellis Cup.

I don't go along with this business of players returning to New Zealand having to sit out a period before becoming eligible for All Blacks selection.

If they're returning to New Zealand and are the best for the job, then pick them right away.

Some flak was thrown the New Zealand union's way over how Luke McAlister was given an easy path back into the All Blacks this year.

I've got no problem with the fast track approach. Okay, McAlister hasn't recovered his best form since returning but he's a good player. What's the point of having quality footballers twiddling their thumbs for a stand-down period? If the selectors want them, get them in.

I presume tighthead prop Carl Hayman will be one of the two the selectors have in mind. I wouldn't mind betting Nick Evans is the other.

Stephen Donald is a fine Super rugby player but he's still finding his feet at international level. I mean no disrespect when I say I'm not sure he has the temperament of Andrew Mehrtens or Grant Fox. They were great first five-eighths so perhaps the comparison is unfair.

But the point remains that all the great teams have a strong No 9-10 combination - think Nick Farr-Jones and Michael Lynagh for Australia; Joost van der Westhuizen and Joel Stransky for South Africa; or David Kirk and Foxy when we won the World Cup first time around 22 years ago.

Donald could make real progress in the next 18 months but if Evans is keen to return I'd get him back and forget the stand-down period. You can't have too many quality players pushing for places in key positions.

As for this weekend's test against the Springboks, I'd be urging the All Blacks to attack flat out from the start, try and take the initiative and set the Boks back on their heels.

Winning at altitude is difficult for any team and on top of that South Africa have come off a tough, competitive series against the Lions and they're not the world champions for nothing. The All Blacks bring out the best in them.

There's a bit of talk that perhaps the All Blacks will be happy to leave South Africa with one win from the two tests in Bloemfontein and Durban.

I don't go along with that. I'm certain that Graham Henry and his fellow selectors as well as captain Richie McCaw will be determined to win both and will believe they have the ability to do it.

It's a tall order but certainly not out of the question. Do it and they'll have taken giant steps towards winning the Tri-Nations.

As for the All Blacks selection, I feel for Piri Weepu. I'd be gutted if I was him.

Sure he's a strong player coming off the bench and does make a difference in that role in the final quarter.

But make no mistake, all players want to be on the field from the start. To me, his form warrants getting a chance.

Joe Rokocoko will relish the hard ground; so too Sitiveni Sivivatu on the other wing.

I was delighted with the All Blacks' performance against Australia last week. It was a good old-fashioned test. It had everything, except perhaps a touch of flair and open rugby.

But there was incredible improvement from the French and Italian tests and while McCaw and Rodney So'oialo obviously made a difference, I was highly impressed with some of the younger players.

Jerome Kaino was outstanding - it might prove to be a coming of age test for him when he graduates from promising to the long-term first choice No 6 - and Isaac Ross continues to make strong progress.

I loved the way the All Blacks put some mongrel into their work up front and they'll need to retain that against the Springboks.

A weakness among the South African squad? It could be in the substitutes bench and how well, or poorly, coach Peter de Villiers uses it.

At Eden Park, Henry got top value out of Weepu and front rowers Keven Mealamu and Owen Franks when he introduced them.

That's the thing with international rugby these days; long gone are the days when it was about 15 vs 15. It's the 22 players and how they are used which is paramount and can often be the decisive factor in victory or defeat.

* Inga Tuigamala played 19 tests for the All Blacks.