View photosKEY POINTS:
I can't think of anyone in the All Blacks who'd be happy with the test against Canada, even though it finished 64-13.
A match like that isn't about the score, it's about doing the basics well and executing well and being clinical and measured - a quest for perfection if you like.
There wasn't much perfection around last night. I think the All Blacks, even though there were many changes from the last two tests, will have wanted to progress a great deal further down the road than they managed last night.
Poor execution, basic errors and a lack of the clinical work that the All Blacks themselves said they were looking for.
Not there, I'm afraid. They were very flat to begin with and I don't think the experiments they undertook with various positions worked well either.
Like Chris Masoe. If anyone is playing themselves out of the World Cup squad, it's him. He is supposed to be able to play 6, 7 and 8 but at the moment he looks as if he's not particularly well suited to any of them.
As a No 8, I'd say he's not in the top four in the country. As a No 7 last night, I'd say he's not in the top three opensides either - and I watched Marty Holah playing well for the Junior All Blacks and Daniel Braid too when he came on.
Luke McAlister at centre was also not a success. He ran well from broken play and scored a good try but, as a centre, he looked like he wasn't aware of his runners. He didn't feed well and the only time the wingers looked dangerous was when they went looking for work - especially Sitiveni Sivivatu.
I guess the best illustration of the All Black malaise was Dan Carter. All right, he scored three tries and scored a bucketful of points and there is no doubting the absolute class of the guy. But he just seemed to be operating at about 75 per cent last night, compared to what he can do. Cruising a bit, I'd say.
The front row went well. Ross Filipo had a good debut and I thought he did better than Flavell, although he hurt his hand or finger and that might have helped throw the pack off their rhythm a bit.
When he went off, Reuben Thorne stepped up. He took lineout ball, at front, middle and back and showed his consistency and reliability. Nothing flashy - but he provided a cool head when they needed it.
