KEY POINTS:
LYON - A rugby World Cup where the southern hemisphere has trumped Europe at every turn so far will plunge towards the farcical at Stade de Gerland tomorrow.
The world No 1 All Blacks against a team of amateurs from Portugal will bring satisfaction only to those who deride rugby for its vast gulf between the power-broking nations and the wannabes.
As stand-in New Zealand captain Jerry Collins put it this week: "We're doing the best we can with the hand we've been played."
For rugby to earn global credibility, to be fit for comparison with established team sports such as soccer and basketball, games like tomorrow's pool fixture here shouldn't see the light of day.
The main talking point this week has been how the All Blacks may ease off physically, a contradiction to the bedrock element of the sport and something the players have been decidedly uncomfortable talking about this week.
"Do you think we're elephants or gorillas or something?" was the response of second five-eighth Aaron Mauger, incredulous when asked if he feared for the safety of his opponents.
"We're just human beings like everyone else."
Yes, it's the chance of a lifetime for 15 unknowns from Portugal but is being the victims of a stampede in front of a global audience really something they'll relive with the grandkids?
For the All Blacks, tomorrow is more about maintaining the standards set for a healthy chunk of last weekend's opening rout of Italy.
Eleven new faces in the starting team must play with accuracy and not deviate from it as the score climbs, otherwise any chance of forcing a berth in next week's top team to face Scotland will sink.
It should be open slather for halves Brendon Leonard and Nick Evans, two players with a rare chance to shine from the opening whistle and who will come under close scrutiny from assistant coach Wayne Smith.
"They're certainly a handful to look after as running players. It's exciting," Smith said.
"Quick, explosive, they had a bit of time together in the French series. They were very interesting as a pair."
It could also be a prolific outing for goalkicking first five-eighth Evans. He's likely to play the full 80 minutes and will have the ball in his hands so many times that the odd dab for the tryline should surely beckon.
Leonard will enjoy working off another rare starter, No 8 Sione Lauaki, who may become rugby's nearest thing to a tenpin bowling ball tomorrow.
The threat of injuries and citings from overzealous officials will hang over the New Zealanders, with returning centre Conrad Smith one for whom an unharmed outing will mean more than the size of victory.
It was up to scrum coach Mike Cron to explain how the All Blacks' approach to "sensitivity" will work against the Portuguese.
"It's a test match, that's the first thing," he said.
"It's a whole new front row going in there and they're vying for a place in the top team.
"But if things look a wee bit dicky, a bit dicey, a wee bit unsafe, if it ever happened we would certainly put the call out straight away (to ease back)."
For scrum-loving Cron and the players he works with, it's an unpleasant option to contemplate.
"It is frustrating because they're trained to do a job," he said.
"People who play in the front row at the top level are there to do their job...but we're starting the game like any other test match and we'll just work it out from there.
"No matter how you cut the cake, the odds are stacked heavily against them (Portugal)."
Some positive All Blacks news to emerge yesterday was that lock/loose forward Reuben Thorne took part in most of their final training run at Marseille, suggesting he will be fit for selection to face Scotland next week.
- NZPA
