(Photo by Ross Land/Getty Images)
By the conclusion of the third test match of the year, it is likely that no less than seven players would have made their test debuts. This is to go with a further seven players in the current Iveco (home series) squad that have less than 10 test match appearances.
In the middle of what has now become the almost all important World Cup cycle, this will bring benefits for New Zealand rugby, especially considering the success of the Under 20 team and the fact that they have their Junior All Black team operating.
The only admonition in this is that come 2011, the All Blacks may again wield too much depth, which for any coach can cause issues with uncertainty as to your best test team.
The absolute critical factor for the All Blacks now is to ascertain their best players and recycle and decide now.
It must be decided whether or not the current team, the soon to be returning first choice players, or even the Junior All Blacks (which contains five ex-All Blacks) and their new Junior World Champions are the future of New Zealand rugby.
A classic example here is Joe Rokocoko, a test veteran and world record holder for most test tries in a calendar year (17 in 2003). Already, Henry has remarked that he needs to find form now, for there are a host of talented three quarters in the proverbial selection queue.
Otherwise young players in their peak could leave New Zealand for other opportunities.
As for their Tri Nations opponents, while they may appear stronger now, much depends on what happens in the next month.
For the Springboks, they are playing in what could be considered the last great challenge for many of their players.
Win or lose against the British and Irish Lions, will they view the Tri Nations as an inferior contest? Or will it be the last year for the Springbok elder statesmen, and look to cap a Lions series with a title that defines Southern Hemisphere supremacy?
As for the Wallabies, they swap opponents with the All Blacks, and no doubt comparisons between the Bledisloe opponents will abound after the matches.
In this, Australia probably has a bit more to lose. If they cannot beat the French, then the apparently immense progress the 2009 Wallabies have made will take a backward step.
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