Top five

Keven Mealamu

Up in the northern hemisphere, where their autumn has been stacked with internationals, writers have taken to picking the best combined XV from those sides doing battle in Europe. It provokes some debate, but the disparity in selections reveals how much leeway there is for objectivity. Still, seeing a fair wedge of O2 players in most writers' sides makes you want to go oh, too.

So with the NZRU awards evening, originally scheduled for Tuesday but now set for some time in the New Year, a number of All Blacks on this tour will be relieved they do not have to arrive, jet-lagged, for one final function.

The list of impressive men on this trip grew after the 45-6 destruction of France with Byron Kelleher, Jerry Collins, Rodney So'oialo and Anton Oliver demanding they be rated up with the regular whizzkids like Richie McCaw and Daniel Carter.

To single out a handful on this tour does not deliver equity to the others who have slogged hard to create success for their colleagues. That is a by-product of team sports and subsequent awards evenings. But the Herald on Sunday decided to pick five players of the year from their international form.

Think back to early June and the 36-3 walloping of England. After that and a few more performances lock Keith Robinson was on track for a great year until scuppered by a persistent back problem.

Joe Rokocoko went on a scoring blitz with seven tries in the opening four tests, then went into a trough from which he recovered, partially, on this trip.

Captain Tana Umaga soldiered through, sometimes looking as though he had lost a little zip but forever clattering opponents with his tackling and in public remaining a most cordial leader.

On the evidence of the home calendar and the offshore Tri-Nations, feisty halfback Justin Marshall was one of the more consistent performers. His passing may be variable but his value in tough conditions is enormous.

Departed prop Kees Meeuws completed his swap to loosehead with some aplomb, Marty Holah was a trojan openside replacement and Chris Jack banged away in the jungle warfare. All quality, all admirable, but no gongs.

Mils Muliaina and Daniel Carter are my season picks in the backs; Richie McCaw, Carl Hayman and Keven Mealamu in the forwards. There were times when Muliaina was not quite as sharp as usual but his consistency and his decisions on whether to kick or counter from the back were crucial to the try-scoring potential in the side.

His tackling was utterly dependable, his kicking with either foot improved and his passing under pressure was a real weapon.

Carter is a smooth talent where-ever he plays, his goalkicking top-drawer and after steady midfield work he switched to first five eighths on this tour and suggested a long future in that role.

Two games was all that McCaw could manage mid-year, but in three tests on this trip he has reinforced his claims to be the premier openside flanker in the world.

His work-rate is staggering, his anticipation awesome, and all facets of his game have him rivalling Michael Jones as the best All Black flanker in modern times.

The man-mountain Hayman, unwanted for the World Cup, has returned at the age of 25 to be an automatic selection as the tight-head rock of the side.

Selector, and former All Black coach and skipper, Sir Brian Lochore, admired Hayman's setpiece quality and was awed by his tackle count, speed and dexterity.

On the final leg of the season in Europe, Mealamu's explosively evasive pick-and-go speciality was used after Oliver had blunted the French aggression.

It was perhaps a concession that Mealamu had to be nurtured after a torrid year when he suffered injury but started seven of the eight mid-year tests.

His lineout throwing is class, his defence sure, and scrum doctor Mike Cron has no complaints.

His big work ethic is Mealamu's by-word - and the All Blacks are the benefactor.