Rugby: Henry's chance to exorcise demons

It was meant to be a throwaway line but it suggested the mental bruises were still close to the surface. The flesh wounds had healed but the scars remained from that night in Cardiff.

The topic was France and All Black coach Graham Henry was musing on the calibre of the visitors and his side's challenge for their opening assignment next Saturday in Dunedin.

When the teams run on to Carisbrook, it will be 515 days since the Tricolores completed their upset World Cup 20-18 quarter-final victory against the All Blacks in a result that reverberated through the rugby corridors of this land.

For those involved, little will compensate for the pain of that defeat. They can only retaliate with subsequent performances.

It still hurts, though, as Henry's wan smile showed when he discussed his opening squad selection and the immediate international tasks this month.

"I think the last time we played them we got beaten, didn't we?" he proffered.

There had been no prompting from any of the media but it was an insight, perhaps, into the lingering anguish.

Maybe his observation revealed more about the anxiety of facing the visitors without Richie McCaw, Rodney So'oialo, Ali Williams, Anthony Boric, Daniel Carter, Conrad Smith, Richard Kahui and Sitiveni Sivivatu, who are unavailable because of injury.

It is a serious core of talent on the sidelines, though only a couple were in any sort of decent form during the Super 14.

The absences should sharpen the resolve and focus the minds of those who start at Carisbrook. It should steer them away from some of the disconcerting findings in the official report into those involved in the World Cup demise.

"There remained a sense to us that the All Blacks, coaches and management were looking past the quarter-final," it read. "An example was the leadership group chose not to 'push the emotional button' because there is generally a let-down period during the week following such an approach."

Only three All Blacks are likely to return on Saturday from that test in Cardiff. New captain Mils Muliaina played at centre that night, Joe Rokocoko was on the wing and Tony Woodcock started at loosehead prop. The rest are injured, on overseas deals or, in the case of Keith Robinson and Anton Oliver, retired.

Whatever combination is chosen for Carisbrook, they will need to have their concentration and senses fixed firmly on how they are going to beat the French.

Among the tourists available for the opening test, there are seven players who were involved on that dramatic Cardiff evening, including captain Thierry Dusautoir.

They understand what it takes to beat the All Blacks, they believe they can do it again and will drag their countrymen along on that pursuit.

Of the seven players left behind to compete for the French club title this weekend, only flanker Julien Bonnaire and outside back Aurelien Rougerie might have nudged into the test starting lineup and only Bonnaire played in Cardiff at the World Cup.

The bulk of the All Blacks will not carry any baggage from Cardiff. They will carry the frisky genes of making a debut, like lock Isaac Ross, the anxiety of wanting to make a strong impression like Stephen Donald or Liam Messam, or the redemptive reaction from Jerome Kaino or Rokocoko, who have been out of form.

This is also the start of a block of opportunities, three tests this month, where the initial squad can demand their retention for the Tri-Nations, at which stage others like McCaw, So'oialo and Boric will be nosing back into contention, with possible appearances from Sivivatu or even Carter.

There will be anxiety and frustration from some like Neemia Tialata, Smith and Kaino, who have favoured tender legs during the training camp this week while Brendon Leonard and Ali Williams will need to be channelled carefully back into their work.

So the opening squad of 26 players, with injury cover from Owen Franks and Bryn Evans, have been going through the All Black introductory class for 2009.

Forwards coach Steve Hansen has been drilling them on the implications of law changes in the lineout and at the breakdown, backs commander Wayne Smith has been detailing his ideas and commander Graham Henry has been running the defensive drills and overview.

Since they were appointed in 2004, this All Blacks coaching group has taken the team into test battle 63 times and emerged victorious 55 times. They hold the Tri-Nations title and Bledisloe Cup, they whacked the Lions and twice completed a Grand Slam.

Just once, since they joined up as the All Blacks coaching force, have they been beaten at home - at Carisbrook, last year against the Springboks.