Pick the players in form

Keven Mealamu. Photo / Getty Images

The All Blacks selectors have shown a lot of faith in a number of experienced players who haven't performed particularly well this season.

I wouldn't say that surprises me — but it does concern me a little.

I guess I'm looking at things this way: there are five tests until the squad is trimmed to 31 players and I'm going to be interested to see how much game time they all get before the cut.

Let's say, for example, Tony Woodcock and Keven Mealamu are both given a start against Samoa and told to give 65 minutes. What if they can't do it? What if they don't respond to that challenge? Then what?

Will they get another go against South Africa and/or Australia? And if so, when are we then going to see some of the other front-rowers in action, the players who have been in form but who haven't got the same experience?

It's the same with fullback Israel Dagg. Looking around the country at the moment, there are some brilliant, exciting outside backs. We know Dagg has been a good All Black but he's not had a good season. Is there enough time — enough football — for him to prove he's up to speed? I know he made it into the last World Cup squad in similar circumstances when he picked up a serious injury midway through Super Rugby and had only a game-and-a-half to prove his fitness.

He did it back then but I'm not sure coach Steve Hansen has to take any risks this time. There are so many form wings at the moment and there is also the prospect of squeezing in another midfielder who has the potential to play wing.

Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith are, at the moment, the first-choice pairing but Malakai Fekitoa could fit in there and Ryan Crotty has never let anyone down in a black jersey. And there is also, of course, Sonny Bill Williams. The latter played on the wing at the last World Cup and could do so again, which would really put the squeeze on the back three.

Nehe Milner-Skudder has played well for the Hurricanes at wing and fullback and Waisake Naholo has been sensationally good at the Highlanders.

He's scored many tries as part of what you would have said at the start of the season was a fairly average backline bookended by two Smiths. He's looked pretty good under the high ball, too, and tackles so, when you look at all that, it is hard to see reasons why the selectors would pick either Dagg or Cory Jane for the World Cup.

It is Hansen's reputation on the line so, if he picks a bunch for the World Cup and they crap out, then it will be seen as his fault.

But if he picks the best players, the guys who are all in form and considered the best before the team sets off, and they don't perform ... then they don't perform.