All Blacks' 30 World Cup frontrunners

Graham Henry

Think of next year's World Cup in marathon terms and the 30 All Blacks named yesterday for the Tri-Nations are leading the field a few kilometres from the finish.

Nine players have gone from that bulging group of 39 selected for the first three tests of the year against Ireland and Argentina. And in most cases they've got a pile of work ahead to catch the pacesetters.

All Black coach Graham Henry has long identified this year's November tour of Britain and France as a dry run for the World Cup. The team will stay in hotels earmarked for the World Cup, train at the same venues, in some cases play at the same stadiums.

So it is not a huge leap to imagine the vast bulk of the 30 who board a plane for Europe in November will bear a striking resemblance to the eventual World Cup party.

And yesterday he gave those named for the six-match Tri-Nations, starting next week, a verbal pat on the back.

"It's not a closed door, but if you're in now, you're taking the right steps," he said.

The qualification is that several players who were All Blacks last year have been counted out by injury this year, such as backs Conrad Smith, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Nick Evans, and forwards Sione Lauaki, Angus MacDonald, James Ryan and Derren Witcombe. They are absent but not forgotten.

"You pick 30 and there's the injured guys, so we'd consider them frontrunners at this point," Henry added.

"The guys who left camp last night know what they have to work on. They still have opportunities and it's important they take them."

Of yesterday's selection, no name had more bells and whistles attached than former captain Reuben Thorne. Down the years, dumped All Black captains have rarely returned.

After two years on the unwanted list, Thorne's compelling Super 14 form for the Crusaders justified his recall as, in Henry's words, "we haven't found anybody playing better than him in the three international fixtures we've had".

Jerome Kaino and Troy Flavell are gone, Kaino being well off the pace while Flavell is off to the surgeon's operating table to repair a pectoral muscle injury which will sideline him for three months. Henry reckoned his shoulder was about 60 per cent right, adding that he needed to work on parts of his game.

The other casualties from the opening 39 are forwards Clarke Dermody, Craig Newby, Marty Holah and Mose Tuiali'i and backs Sam Tuitupou, Casey Laulala and David Hill.

That the All Black selectors are far from happy with the quality of performance to date was clear when Henry rated them at 6 out of 10 over the first three tests of the year. Forwards coach Steve Hansen piped in that the lineouts were worth 4 1/2. Clearly, all is far from hunky dory.

"It's the little things we're not doing well. Playing the game we want to play we've still got a long way to go. And we're a wee bit behind Australia at the moment," he added, neatly positioning the All Blacks behind the Wallabies ahead of the Tri-Nations opener at Jade Stadium on July 8.

"I think it's going to be a boomer. They're showing some steel and have improved immensely from last year."

Henry anticipates rotating resources during the Tri-Nations which this year involves three tests against each of Australia and South Africa.


ALL BLACKS SQUAD

BACKS: Leon MacDonald, Mils Muliaina, Rico Gear, Doug Howlett, Joe Rokocoko, Scott Hamilton, Ma'a Nonu, Isaia Toeava, Aaron Mauger, Daniel Carter, Luke McAlister, Piri Weepu, Byron Kelleher, Jimmy Cowan.

FORWARDS: Rodney So'oialo, Richie McCaw (captain), Chris Masoe, Jerry Collins, Reuben Thorne, Chris Jack, Ali Williams, Jason Eaton, Greg Rawlinson, Carl Hayman, Greg Somerville, Neemia Tialata, Tony Woodcock, Anton Oliver, Keven Mealamu, Andrew Hore.