KEY POINTS:
The Greg Somerville saga has highlighted for me a flaw in the All Blacks reconditioning and rehabilitation and I can express it in two words: Neemia Tialata.
It's anybody's guess whether Somerville will make it to the World Cup because of that torn retina, although I'd tend to suggest there may still be time for it to heal.
Whether he makes it or not, shouldn't be an issue. Not with a player like Tialata who is big and powerful; who had a good Super 14 and looked to be really coming on; and who was starting to run the ball well and get up and make big tackles.
But his form went off. He needs a lot of playing time - and didn't get it. He was only sparingly used for most of the domestic test series and during the Tri Nations. For the life of me, I don't know why.
Now there is a question mark over Somerville, I think that lack of use is a mistake and calls into question the All Blacks' management of their players.
Everyone talks about burn-out and managing our players' workloads in these days of busy rugby schedules. Yeah, right. Different players need different managing. I contend they've got it wrong with Tialata - and I hope it doesn't backfire on the ABs if Somerville doesn't make it.
There's no doubt Somerville is first choice - I reckon he is the perfect player to come off the bench.
You get players like Stephen Larkham who says he needs a couple of weeks off every now and then to retain his creative edge. Fair enough. But others, like Tialata, need plenty of game time to be at their best.
I think the All Blacks have put all their eggs in the Somerville basket and hope they won't regret it if they have to play Tialata off the bench. Even his provincial coach, Aussie McLean, isn't playing him for 80m and I think he has an obligation to do so now.
I played two test matches in successive weekends, with a midweek game against the touring side - Argentina - in the middle. I was the sort of player who got better the more I played. Everyone would howl that down now and say 'burn-out' but I think Tialata is the same sort of player.
Meanwhile, I'd like to say this to Rico Gear. I think what he did was a bit underhand and, for a few games in Nelson, he could have put up with being separated from his family.
Or take them with him. After all, I presume he's taking them to the UK. Even though I am a Christchurch and Canterbury man, I know Nelson well too and I know where I'd rather be when the weather is this cold.
Chris Jack's leaving too but he is running around for Tasman and they will put him on the same sort of pedestal as Todd Blackadder.
Rico Gear could have been up there too. Instead they'll be saying: "Sulky p****."
* I will be in Auckland on Friday for the Halberg Trust reunion lunch for the 1987 World Cup All Black team.
