The rules of engagement

Mils Muliaina. Photo / Getty Images

The World Cup, the Holy Grail approacheth. Gregor Paul issues 10 Commandments if the All Blacks are to complete their quest.

1 Keep the Core
The big mind-shift the All Black coaches have made is to no longer make multiple selection changes.

As was evidenced on the end of year tour, they want to keep the core of the team in place and dripfeed in a couple of new faces. The days of making 10 to 15 personnel changes are over.

This policy has to stay in place in 2011. In 2007, the All Blacks continued to rotate their players in the June tests, Tri Nations and even in the pool stages of the World Cup. There was no continuity, no certainty as to who the selectors saw as their best team.

In 2010, the selectors rarely strayed away from starting Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu, Owen Franks, Brad Thorn, Jerome Kaino, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith and Mils Muliaina.

Those players were the spine - with the likes of Sam Whitelock, Hosea Gear, Corey Jane, Israel Dagg, Victor Vito and latterly Sonny Bill Williams - rotating in and out depending on form, fitness and the opposition.

With only four Tri Nations games and a tougher World Cup pool than 2007, consistency of selection to build form, confidence, understanding and combination will be vital.

2 Win the Tri Nations
Forget all that nonsense about peaking early. Forget, too, that winning the Tri Nations in 1999, 2003 and 2007 didn't lead to a successful All Black World Cup campaign.

Winning is a good habit. It builds confidence, momentum and belief.

Would the All Blacks have escaped with their dramatic late win in Soweto last year without 13 successive victories behind them?

Would they have been so mentally strong in Cardiff in November had they dropped games earlier in the year?

There is a double benefit in winning - it batters the psyche of the loser. How fragile were the Wallabies in 2009 and most of 2010 as a result of their losing streak against the All Blacks?

The world feels the All Blacks are almost invincible at home. Since 2000, they have lost only four times in New Zealand and are unbeaten at Eden Park since 1994. It would be good to keep it that way.

3 Keep South African franchises winless in NZ
Boks captain John Smit has revealed the South African sides have definite plans already in place detailing how they want to play against the New Zealand teams in Super Rugby. They want to win as many games as they can in New Zealand to spread the belief these islands are not the daunting place their reputation suggests.

Having set the goal and made it public, New Zealand could strike a huge blow by keeping all the South African sides winless. The South Africans don't like losing face.

They have a tendency to turn on each other when things don't go to plan and internal bickering and strife would not help their World Cup preparation.

4 Avoid a horrendous injury toll
Other than distraught All Blacks, heads bowed, wearing those awful silver jerseys trudging off the park in Cardiff, the defining image of 2007 was numerous potential World Cup All Blacks limping to various sidelines.

The injury toll before the World Cup was major. First James Ryan popped his knee and a week later, it was Jason Eaton. Mils Muliaina broke his foot in his first training game and Conrad Smith ripped his hamstring. Dan Carter tore ankle ligaments, Keith Robinson damaged his back and Ali Williams broke his jaw.

Injuries are inevitable and maybe it was just bad luck so many occurred to so many key players in such a confined period. But, bad luck or not, the constant bad news affected the players and made many doubt the merits of the reconditioning programme.

Many were already sceptical and frustrated about their lack of game-time and the value and logic of the programme and the injury toll exacerbated their doubts.

5 Clean up all contract issues
It wasn't a major factor in 2007 but the campaign certainly wasn't helped by the fact some players were negotiating overseas moves during the TriNations, while captain Richie McCaw signed his contract to stay in New Zealand the day before the quarter-final.

An independent report into the campaign also found that some players were distracted at the tournament by logistical issues related to their impending moves. This time, the senior players are putting pressure on themselves and their peers to make contract decisions early - well before the Tri Nations. They want minds focused on rugby and for players not to be distracted by what they need to organise before they head offshore after the World Cup.

6 The Nonu/Williams conundrum
It's kind of lovely that the All Blacks have two world-class options at second five-eighths. But it's also a hindrance.

This coaching panel have achieved plenty, shown themselves to be smart, innovative and flexible. They have, however, in the past shown a tendency to get in a selection muddle when they have genuine choice.

Potentially Ma'a Nonu and Sonny Bill Williams have the ability to be the critical point of difference.

The former is the best linebreaker in world rugby, the latter is the best off-loader; possibly the best ever seen. They can't both start. Nonu has an established relationship with Conrad Smith, the first choice centre.

Williams could probably develop a relationship if he's given the chance - he's that type of player. Nonu can be sulky if he doesn't start. Williams could be sluggish to get into the game if he enters off the bench.

There are pros and cons to both players and the selectors could tie themselves in knots deliberating on the best policy. Whatever choice they make, they have to be clear and honest with both Williams and Nonu when explaining why they made it.

7 Believe in the game plan
World Cups, particularly the knockout rounds, tend to be tense affairs where sides tighten up, try to play conservatively and limit their mistakes.

This is the antithesis of how the All Blacks have played under Graham Henry. They were at their best, won 15 in a row in 2009-10, when they played with width and enterprise, moving the ball from deep and trusting their natural athleticism and skills.

They have to believe that style of rugby can win them knock-out games. In 2007, they played expansively in the first half in the quarter-final before strangely deciding to relentlessly pick and drive in the second. Who knows what might have happened had they continued to move the ball in Cardiff and attack the space?

They might have to temper their natural instincts at times in 2011, occasionally be prepared to take territory, but essentially the core of their philosophy must remain unchanged - use the ball and run opponents off their feet.

8 Be honest about Ali
At his best, Ali Williams was a world class lock. Rangy, gifted, aggressive and experienced. For periods in 2008, he was as good as Victor Matfield, maybe even better. He is also, despite his tendency to play the clown, a respected leader with his peers and able to inspire others (more by what he does than says).

Henry is determined to get his man back in the fold. But the evaluation of Williams has to be honest. His injuries have been serious.

He has been two years out of the game. As much as the All Black coaches want Williams to return to his best, as much as they believe he can, injury can often rob players of the elasticity and explosive edge that set them apart.

Williams has to prove himself all over again and the selectors have to judge him on what they see, not on what they know he has done and what they suspect he could be again.

9 Guiding the hopefuls
The biggest concern in 2011 is Dan Carter breaking his leg and being ruled out. As everyone knows, there just isn't an obvious replacement.

This Super 15 campaign is the last opportunity to fast track Colin Slade, Aaron Cruden and Mike Delany. The All Black coaches, especially Wayne Smith, have to be in constant contact with these players and their respective franchise coaches.

Slade, Cruden and Delany need to hear every week howthey played, what they could do better and what they are doing well. They need to build their confidence and that only comes with time in the jersey and constructive feedback.

The All Black coaches need to be confrontational, stroppy even, with the respective franchise coaches if any of the three challenging first fives are not being selected.

Slade, arguably the pick of the bunch and the one most likely to come through best, has been ruled out for at least six weeks with a fractured jaw, highlighting the precarious position of the All Blacks.

By the end of Super Rugby, the All Blacks have to have an obvious back-up to Carter.

10 Ride the emotional wave
Barring injury or spectacular loss of form on a scale never seen before, McCaw and Muliaina will become the first All Blacks to win 100 test caps. Both currently have 94, which means, potentially, the test against Japan in Hamilton will be the place for them to make history. It remains one of the more curious statistical anomalies that no All Black has yet made a century of appearances, given more than 20 players have managed it worldwide.

When McCaw and Muliaina reach the landmark, it will be hugely significant and there will be massive emotions in the All Black camp.

There will be a desperation to make sure both men enjoy not only a victory on the big day but a victory achieved in some style.

That desire will stretch further, though. This current All Black team contains a handful of potentially iconic greats. McCaw, obviously, Muliaina is getting there, Carter and Thorn. The likes of Mealamu, Woodcock and Nonu have legacies of note, too, and there will be a realisation within the squad that such a special group of players really has to win a World Cup to cement their place in history.