KEY POINTS:
When the All Blacks board their plane for the World Cup, they will not be accompanied by any selection insecurity. Not for the initial pool games anyway.
As the squad met in Christchurch this week for their training camp, most would have been briefed on their playing duties, which start with an opening clash against Italy in Marseille.
Manager Darren Shand confirmed the bulk of the playing rosters had been inked in already and the rest of the strategies would crystallise this week and during the final camp in Auckland before the team left, via Corsica, for the sixth World Cup.
"We have had some early discussions and they will have a pretty good idea what they are doing," he said.
"Naturally the tournament falls into two quite nice blocks so we have to adopt different strategies for each of those and it is important you have the whole party involved."
But it's the side's lack of tough pool games and dearth of rugby that worry Herald columnist and former test forward John Drake, while former All Black lock Robin Brooke is twitchy about the quality of opposition in the early stage of the tournament.
"On a philosophical level, the raw statistics concern me," said Drake.
"I don't know that there can be a blanket rule; some guys want to play, others don't.
"But I think it is a real issue if they are not getting much rugby from February to October.
"They will belt their rivals in the pool games and in the last two World Cups have gone well in the quarters but then could not do it a week later."
Drolly, Brooke said the squad would be "as fresh as a daisy".
The All Blacks start against Italy (world ranking 9th) on September 8, then meet Portugal (21st), Scotland (11th) and Romania (16th) before their quarter-final against either France, Ireland or Argentina.
Scotland are even threatening to play their second-stringers against the All Blacks before their final pool game against Italy, which should decide the second qualifier in their section.
Brooke thought most teams were using similar preparation for the tournament but he was concerned about the absence of tough pool matches.
"Compare our matches with those like a group of South Africa, England, Samoa, Tonga and the USA - the winner of that, probably the Springboks, will be very match-hardened."
After conditioning with the All Blacks, a fallout with the Blues and then a broken jaw, lock Ali Williams will travel to the World Cup with his tally of first-class games this season in single figures.
"That won't be an issue - he is a big-game player - but will he be at his best?" Brooke wondered.
"The lack of games is not the problem, it is the easy passage through the All Blacks' pool before they hit a brick wall in Cardiff."
Drake was also bothered by the lack of matchplay for some of the topliners.
Few in the squad will travel to the World Cup with more than 15 first-class starts this season. Some, like Keven Mealamu, Williams, Byron Kelleher, Mils Muliaina, Joe Rokocoko, Nick Evans, Keith Robinson, Jerry Collins, Conrad Smith, Chris Masoe, Chris Jack, Andrew Hore and Sione Lauaki, are stuck in or just emerging from single figures.
Meanwhile, there has been no further public communique about prop Greg Somerville after he underwent surgery last week to repair a damaged retina in his right eye.
The All Blacks will play their last provincial matches this weekend before the final World Cup squad is confirmed by next Tuesday's deadline.
