All Blacks' Conundrum at 10 Could Be a Blessing

Coach Graham Henry has delayed the naming of his test side as both Luke McAlister and Stephen Donald have run freely at training today.

Coming into the first Bledisloe and Tri Nations test this weekend, the reality is that the first five eighth position is the glaring Achilles' heel for this All Blacks team.

Dan Carter has been seen at the pre-match camps in Auckland, and how so many must wish that it was a fully fit Crusaders number ten that was running through training drills.

Luke McAlister, as invaluable as he may be to the All Blacks in the future, is currently being used as a stopgap measure by the New Zealand test team, and unfortunately it shows.

Not only had he played no test match rugby since Cardiff in 2007, but he was specifically brought in by the Sale Sharks as a midfielder, and played the majority of his matches outside former England fly half Charlie Hodgson, as well as most of his 25 test matches. 

In theory, one might ask Ma’a Nonu to play at No. 10.

Further to this, McAlister was injured and was barely fully recovered when fast tracked back into the All Blacks framework.

This “bending of the rules”, was something that maybe could apply to a Dan Carter or a Richie McCaw, but considering his injury and absence from the New Zealand and Southern Hemisphere game, had he eased his way back via the Junior All Blacks, as originally planned; then it could be a different situation now.

This is after the man himself said that he prefers playing at second five eighth, and stated that he shouldn’t be played in the crucial number ten role against the Wallabies.

Stephen Donald still remains an option, and despite mixed showings against the French, he is still the incumbent with Carters injury and deserves far more benefit of the doubt. 

With the classic maxim being that in rugby a playmaker is only as good as his forward pack, then Donald should be far more composed with an All Blacks eight containing the workhorses and the two men to captain the team in 2008, Richie McCaw and Rodney So’oialo.

But should he be risked if his injury is still a concern?

This brings us to a player that could well be a trump card for the All Blacks: Piri Weepu.

Here is a player that is fit, in form, and has experience at first five eighth. 

When filtering through the likely teams, it is interesting to note the head to heads.  Unlike in the past, it is a far more even proposition than we have seen in recent years.

While the Wallabies according to many have favouritism, they are still not a side in the mould of the near unbeatable Australian team of 1999-2001. 

And despite the critics baying at the All Blacks, they will still roll out a formidable team onto their hallowed turf at Eden Park.  Any side containing Mils Muliaina, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Ma’a Nonu, So’oialo, McCaw, Brad Thorn, Tony Woodcock and Andrew Hore is still an good team.

But while the Wallaby team has plenty of performers themselves, it is the St Edmund college product and currently world’s finest first five who could well be the difference between the two teams.

As a conductor, Matt Giteau has been exquisite in 2009.

And hence, the Wallabies have looked controlled and structured.

But how would Australia plan for the All Blacks if a twin scrum halves combination of say, Weepu and Cowan were selected?

While as far from a classical halves combination that you could imagine, it would harden up the All Black team, a requirement that former test and Auckland lock Robin Brooke says is missing from the current side.

The All Blacks backline may not then be as deft as the Wallabies, but with the threat of the above mentioned three quarters able to manifest individually, a twin pocket battleship amalgamation at nine and ten could cause Australia severe problems.

The All Black team that can defeat the Wallabies

15 – Muliaina, 14 – Sivivatu, 13 – Smith, 12 – Nonu, 11 – Gear, 10 – Weepu, 9 – Cowan, 8 – So’oialo, 7 – McCaw(c), 6 – Kaino, 5 – Ross, 4 – Thorn, 3 – Tialata, 2 – Hore, 1 – Woodcock Reserves: 16 – Mealamu, 17 – Afoa, 18 – Evans/Eaton, 19 – Thomson, 20 – Leonard, 21 – McAlister, 22 - Jane