Three quick points about the All Blacks side to play Samoa on Wednesday...
1) The backline looks as though it was pulled out of a hat. The forwards have loads of experience and combinations to call on and will be too good for the Samoans but the backs will need to blow a few cobwebs away. There is the Crusaders' combo of Andy Ellis and Dan Carter to rely on in the halves, but the wings are utilities while Israel Dagg and Sonny Bill Williams have had interrupted seasons. And the bench includes two new test backs.
2) The All Blacks are bang on, with Richie McCaw leading the team into the season. There was loose talk that the veteran superstar might be rested for this test, but that would have been false economy. This is an historic occasion he had to be part of and McCaw will want to stamp his standards on the team from the start in the countdown to the World Cup.
If he was to be rested this seasons, it might have been against Argentina. But that test will be his farewell to Christchurch. The question with McCaw is this: does he need resting at all? Ever? And the softest games this year are actually at the World Cup.
3) The Blues obviously had a very good season, with five players in the starting line up. On a more serious note, five players in the starting lineup simply reinforces how bad the Blues were. This will be a huge occasion for Keven Mealamu, against his country of heritage. Samoa tried hard to get Mealamu's services many years ago.
