KEY POINTS:
It's been a good start for Graham Henry's All Blacks, certainly in terms of the sub-plot of this tour: development of players to address the lack of depth in New Zealand rugby right now.
Against Scotland, Kieran Read looked to the manner born accurate and he got through a load of work and tackles. Liam Messam looked strong and also had a high workrate he comes from the Rodney So'oialo school of loosies.
Richard Kahui was outstanding, a real talent emerging, and his battle with Conrad Smith will be fascinating. Jamie Mackintosh was okay and it must be said that was a pretty good Scottish scrum.
Part of the reason for that was hooker Ross Ford, whom I've mentored a bit recently. I'm not taking any of the credit for his performance but he did play well and I mention it only because he is a big lad (115kg) and a destructive scrummager.
If you do not have a dominant hooker at this level, your scrum will struggle. There's nothing against Keven Mealamu in that (he played pretty well) but there's no doubt a scrummaging hooker makes a difference.
The Australian scrum survives largely because they have the man I consider world rugby's best hooker: Stephen Moore, a good scrummager.
I was sad to see Andy Ellis depart the tour but glad to see Alby Mathewson come in. He had a very good Air New Zealand Cup.
However, as I said at the beginning, development is a lower priority. For the All Blacks, hopes and certainly expectations re this tour are particularly high.
Nothing less than a clean sweep can be considered good enough and, with plenty of people in New Zealand sharpening their swords (and pencils) should they slip up, that means that once again the leadership of Graham Henry comes under intense scrutiny.
The Scots promised more than they delivered but I still maintain that the idea of rotating almost the entire team is folly.
We blooded some new players but the continuity and competition that picking the best 15, week-in and week-out, gives a side is vital.
As this tour goes on, I suspect it will be the missing ingredient that will mean we fail to achieve the results in the manner and with the authority that many in New Zealand will demand.
I am not saying we will lose on this tour but it's the way we win. Why not play the best 15 against the Scots? Why not put 50 points on them, which I have no doubt the top team can do?
It would send a message that you can drain the depth of New Zealand rugby but not the quality; that we can still do the business even though we are fielding what is largely a second 15.
It is tough to breed the levels of intensity required to slam the home unions if everyone on the tour knows that they will all get a go if they hang around long enough.
The All Black ethic is, to my mind, best served by having a clear pecking order and a hierarchy that anyone outside it has to work hard to break into.
Managing that process is tough but if it's done well, it breeds honesty, straight talking, desire, fear and motivation. To be done well, it requires leadership.
