Richard Loe: Best people bring success

My contention last week that there was no merit in playing Stephen Donald at second five-eighths and Ma'a Nonu at centre against the Boks drew a bit of a response so I thought I'd explain myself some more.

For me, the selection is simple. Carter at first five, Nonu at second and Isaia Toeava at centre.

The reasoning is also simple. You are playing only one person - Toeava - out of position.

Carter and Jimmy Cowan combined well last time and I think it's simple - pick the best people for the position.

Carter is the best there is at 10 and Nonu has had a good season at 12.

He's done nothing wrong and a great deal right and doesn't deserve to be dropped or mucked about. That leaves centre.

A lot of people favour the Carter-Donald combination at 10 and 12 and Nonu at 13. That's two people out of position.

If, as is supposedly coming out of the All Black camp, you play Donald at 10, Carter at 12 and Nonu at 13, well, that's three people out of position. Why in the blue blazes would you do that?

Donald has shown he is a good player and he played well at second five when he came on outside Carter last time.

However, he is no Carter at 10 and we suffered when Donald was there and Carter wasn't.

Why anyone, especially the All Black coaches, would think it would be different now is beyond me.

Carter, of course, started his test career at 12 and he'd make a good fist of it again, I am sure. But I still can't agree with shifting him.

Play to your strengths. Gee, even that Peter de Villiers bloke was embracing some radical thinking last week when he was asked why the Boks were succeeding.

It was because playing the same team week in and week out built combinations and understanding, he said. Told you it was radical.

So, for me, you keep the forward pack the same as last time and make the one change at centre.

Select the best people for each position. Mils Muliaina is best at fullback. So keep him there.

There's also the question of defence and the opposition to consider. This is a test match and an important one - not an experimental midweek game on tour.

Defence is a big part of the game these days and you are asking for trouble if you switch too many people around and expect them to get their defensive lines right.

Nonu has not always covered himself with glory on defence and it makes sense to keep him where he is used to things now. Someone advocated that defence is easier at 13 than 12. Well, it isn't. It's harder and can be much more damaging if you get it wrong out there.

Also the Boks field a second five in Jean de Villiers who is prone to going for the intercept if you throw too many hanging passes.

Their centre, Jacques Fourie, is a big bloke who runs good lines. You want a second five - Nonu - who can take the ball into the tackle and not try too much fancy stuff and you want a centre who has the size, strength and pace to cope with Fourie.

Toeava, again, is not the be-all and end-all but he appeals to me as the right person for this job, given the injuries. That's what the selectors always say, isn't it? That they are trying to select the right team to win this test match.

That's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it.