KEY POINTS:
The strongest All Black XV should run out against Canada in their final pre-Tri-Nations test in Hamilton next Saturday night.
I doubt Graham Henry and his selection panel will do so, but if I was in their shoes my inclination would be to start with my best combination and continue to do so until the World Cup.
There will be a temptation for the selectors to get some more game time into some of their lesser players. I expect the likes of hooker Andrew Hore, uncapped prop John Schwalger and new locks Greg Rawlinson and Ross Filipo may be picked in the pack.
The key now for the All Blacks is to build their combinations, to give their best players, many of whom haven't played that much football this year because of the reconditioning window, regular game time.
The way the game is these days, reserves invariably get on the park anyway, so the players who don't figure in the first XV will still get the chance to show what they can offer in the final 20 to 30 minutes.
But the more time the best players play together the better. With time, combinations become more effective, often to the point where players do things instinctively because they know their roles so well.
I would retain the first choice props Carl Hayman and Tony Woodcock, who provide such a formidable weapon at scrum time.
No 8 Rodney So'oialo and blindside flanker Jerry Collins proved in the big win over France on Saturday night how crucial they are to the All Black game. I suspect Byron Kelleher, who was excellent, has the edge on Piri Weepu at halfback, and we now know Nick Evans is the clear deputy to Dan Carter.
The jury is still out on Isaia Toeava at centre. He has fine attacking skills and his solo try was a classy effort. But his hands remain a worry.
Apart from the growing locking crisis, my biggest concern was the French try, how it came about and how the All Blacks didn't react to it.
When Toeava dropped a regulation pass 20m out from the French line and the French broke away, the only All Blacks chasing back were the two props and two loose forwards. Where were the quick guys?
And it's all very well to cough up a try like that when you're up by 30 points. What if it's against the South Africans in a tight game? Backs like Bryan Habana and Jean de Villiers live for that sort of opposition backline cock-up.
Here's a thought: Henry and Co are keen to see Conrad Smith at centre, once his hamstring is fully repaired. I wonder if - now that Leon MacDonald has turned in a far improved performance at fullback - they might also look again at Mils Muliaina at centre.
Personally I like specialists, but these selectors are conservative by instinct. Muliaina, once he's fully fit, appeals as the safest option.
Ali Williams' injury was a disaster, personally and for the selectors, who had already lost Keith Robinson just before the kick-off.
Williams was impressive in the first test against France and started well again on Saturday. You'd have to say his technique in trying to stop big Sebastien Chabal wasn't the best, but a broken jaw was a tough outcome.
Add Robinson's withdrawal after redamaging his calf in the warm-ups, and there are big problems.
Rawlinson deserves to be in there. He had a strong Super 14 for the Blues, as did Filipo for the Crusaders.
Troy Flavell did well in his 50 minutes, but I'm not convinced he's a bona fide international lock.
And Robinson's latest injury must leave a nagging doubt about his World Cup place. Can the selectors be totally confident he won't pull up minutes before a semifinal?
France were disappointing in Wellington. Defensively they worked overtime, but they had nothing to offer in attack, appeared aimless and had no pattern. It seemed they took the view that they had fulfilled their tour obligations and were hours away from flying home.
Canada are on a hiding to nothing in Hamilton, but the All Blacks will want to be accurate, keep the hammer down and fine-tune those combinations before a far tougher challenge in Durban a week later.
