Rugby: Young heads to balance Cup heroes

Young Chiefs lock Brodie Retallick. Photo / APN

When the All Black selection wheel stops this weekend the indicator will settle on 35 names.

Some who make the cut should go to their nearest thanksgiving service, take out employment insurance and send gifts to the benevolent national panel. Twenty-five who ended up in the World Cup squad are still competing in this year's Super rugby series and most will make the cut for the initial three-day camp next week in Auckland.

Coach Steve Hansen has signalled he and his selectors will rely on experience, initially, but they also want to invest in the future. Four areas initially will provoke the most debate - wing, halfback, loose-forward and lock. Then there will be discussions about which promising youngsters to include with ideas about blooding one or two in the June internationals against Ireland or taking on the end of year tour.

Culling the wings will be tough with a bucketful of choices and one World Cupper likely to suffer.

In the end the panel used Richard Kahui and Cory Jane as their starting wings with Zac Guildford as backup and then Hosea Gear when injury struck.

Guildford and Gear may squeak in but there is serious heat from Lelia Masaga, Rudi Wulf, Ben Smith, Sean Maitland and Julian Savea.

If the panel names Kahui as a centre with Conrad Smith that will allow them to pick another wing. The selectors will also be looking for another utility who will be a starter or an invaluable reserve and Tamati Ellison looks to have claimed that role.

Jimmy Cowan's decision to play overseas allows the panel to pick a new face as the third halfback. They will stay with Andy Ellis and Piri Weepu but, on form, that is a donation selection for Weepu.

The last part of that trifecta will be a shootout between Aaron Smith and TJ Perenara, the slick passer against the abrasive competitor, with the answer perhaps decided in tonight's duel in Dunedin.

Jerome Kaino's departure for Japan opens a hole for a blindside-No 8 type in the loose forward mix.

Chiefs loosie Liam Messam is pushing for another shot at the job, George Whitelock has been steady or this might be time for a punt on someone like Brad Shields from the Hurricanes. He is young but has a raw energy to go with his size and a growing list of skills.

Then there are the locking vacancies. Ali Williams' fortune is the multiple gaps otherwise he would be heading for ITM Cup work. With no Brad Thorn and the injury to Anthony Boric, Williams will get a reprieve with Jarrad Hoeata likely to be trialled to do Thorn's role.

The impressive young Brodie Retallick will also be in the squad and there are a number of others hovering to remind Williams how close he is to the cut. Those reminders will come from Tom Donnelly, a resurgent Jason Eaton, Craig Clarke and Josh Bekhuis who may miss this cut.

Hooker might become an issue with age catching Keven Mealamu and Andrew Hore, injury curtailing Mealamu's year and Hore job-sharing at the Highlanders. If a younger man is wanted, Hika Elliot may shade Dane Coles. Selection investments will be on the menu and rising talent such as Luke Braid, Sam Cane, Luke Whitelock, Beauden Barrett and Robbie Fruean will be considered.

Possible squad

Israel Dagg, Andre Taylor, Cory Jane, Richard Kahui, Zac Guildford, Conrad Smith, Tamati Ellison, Ma'a Nonu, Sonny Bill Williams, Daniel Carter, Aaron Cruden, Andy Ellis, Piri Weepu, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read, Victor Vito, Richie McCaw, Liam Messam, Adam Thomson, Sam Whitelock, Ali Williams, Brodie Retallick, Jarrad Hoeata, Owen Franks, Charlie Faumuina, Ben Franks, Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu, Andrew Hore, Hika Elliot.

Also: Ben Smith, Beauden Barrett, Luke Braid, Brad Shields, Luke Romano.