Sean Fitzpatrick: All Blacks have lost too much of their momentum

Sonny Bill Williams is tackled by Toby Flood. Photo / Getty Images

Momentum is a key element for these All Blacks, I believe, and I would love to see them going into the World Cup next year with a real roll on.

Lately, however, I think they have lost some of that momentum built up over the Tri Nations and I am keen to see it restored.

The All Blacks played Scotland overnight and I am hoping they really got stuck in and put a big score on them.

I won't be surprised if not, however. Like England last week, Scotland are better than many New Zealanders give them credit for.

They have come up the scale since their weakness a couple of years back and will give a good account of themselves.

Which is what the All Blacks need to do. I get the feeling this team rather took its foot off the throat in Hong Kong - and that has given the Australians a lot in terms of belief.

Then, against England, I wonder if it was the right time to play Sonny Bill Williams.

It's not that he didn't play well; his offload for Hosea Gear's try underlined his worth.

I am just wondering now whether it was the right thing to do to play him for an entire match rather than bring him off the bench after 60 minutes or so.

I know the All Black coaches will be wanting to find out whether he and other players can cut it - and fair enough - but I wonder how much damage has been done by the result in Hong Kong and the qualified pass mark you'd have to give the All Blacks after the England match.

For my money, they have lost too much of their momentum. The selectors got it right during the Tri Nations by playing pretty much their top side week-in, week-out. To be fair, they did that in Hong Kong too, although they were maybe undone by a couple of now well-recognised selection errors - though Isaia Toeava redeemed himself somewhat with a strong defensive display against England.

They were rusty too - but then keeping the All Blacks out of playing rugby at home will do that. You can't have it both ways.

The worry is that, by having a look at other players on this tour and matching and mixing a bit in selection, the All Blacks create a glimmer of hope in the minds of their opponents and maybe open up a little black hole in their own psyche.

I think they have come back to the pack in terms of form since the Tri Nations. They are not giving opponents a sense they are unbeatable.

They are not doing a lot wrong - but they are not slamming the door shut either.

I have heard the All Black coaches say they want to give everyone a game on tour and there is no doubt - he's been quite open about it - Graham Henry has said they are trying to develop their game plan on this tour.

That's why I think there was more kicking from the All Blacks in that last test against England - particularly in the second 20 minutes.

We saw Mils Muliaina kicking more behind the England defence. There's nothing wrong with any of those things and I understand the need to move the game plan on and to keep opponents guessing. We have to keep ahead of everyone else and that might include a change of a couple of personnel.

But not at the cost of momentum. You want your side going into the World Cup gaining momentum, not losing it. Those are the teams who traditionally do well.

I would like our players to have no doubts about how they are going; to have total confidence; to have no room for the thought which worms into a mind and says: 'Hell, they can beat us ...'