McAlister shaping up as crisis-management expert

Luke McAlister

Crisis and Luke McAlister are starting to become rugby regulars. Successful too. When Daniel Carter was hurt last year, McAlister made his test debut against the Lions in a match the tourists were desperate to win.

No chance. McAlister had a flawless night with his goalkicking, leading the All Blacks to a series whitewash.

Since then he has been nurtured, learning the five-eighths roles so when, at short notice, he had to replace Aaron Mauger in midfield against the Wallabies, he was ready.

That was part of the strategy the All Blacks have been using - building resources so if there was a problem, other players could fit in seamlessly.

Eden Park was McAlister's first Tri-Nations start and, potentially a more difficult task because he had to form a hasty partnership with rookie centre Isaia Toeava. "We didn't get much time together because Aaron had run there most of the week," McAlister said.

"Getting the defence was the toughest part because we had no runs together. We did a few walk-throughs on the morning of the test to look at defending a few Wallaby moves."

McAlister was coy about whether he would start in Pretoria. But given his success at Eden Park, Mauger's groin strain and the decision to bring him and Sam Tuitupou in the second travelling group, it seems McAlister will be used again in midfield.

* They could have been auditioning for a scene from Star Wars or A Clockwork Orange. Instead it was the All Blacks air-testing their latest scientific pack in an effort to minimise the effects of the long-haul flight to South Africa.

Players in the first group who flew out wore special humidifiers over their noses for the 14-hour leg from Sydney to Johannesburg in an effort to combat the loss of body moisture.

The explanation was that air travel reduced people's humidity content by 40 per cent, a theory the All Blacks would check with the second group of players travelling without the special nosecones.

The masks provoked odd looks from the airline staff, apologies from players - and hassles at meal-times.

Richie McCaw travelled with a broken nose after copping a punch from Phil Waugh in the Eden Park test.

His mouth felt dry in Sydney without the mask but better after wearing it for the next gruelling leg.

Others noticed they did not drink as much water when they wore the special masks.