The Lead up to the World Cup 2011

News of Israel Dagg's three-month lay-off due to a quad injury on top of defeats to the All Blacks-stacked Blues and Crusaders rounded off an uncomfortable weekend for New Zealanders, who now must be worrying if the fates are again lining up against them this year.

Dagg is a class act with a proven ability to rise to the big occasion and would be considered a loss, not least for his versatility and booming right boot. He won't be back until July, and will have only have a few ITM Cup games to press his claims. At this rate he won't be alone, with the likes Isaia Toeava and Colin Slade also likely to require appearances in the domestic competition - and a show of faith from selectors - to play a part in the Cup.

Dig a little deeper though and there is something to cheer your nervous Kiwi friends (should you wish), not least the cameo appearance of Piri Weepu for the Hurricanes against the Highlanders and the continued excellence of Jimmy Cowan in the same game.

Weepu will never have the Sonny Bill Williams physique, but the lure of the Cup has clearly played a motivating factor in his long rehab. His weight has been kept in check and his power around the ruck and rugby smarts were missed by the All Blacks on last year's end-of-season tour.

In fact, that loss against the Wallabies in Hong Kong came without a sizeable contingent that are likely to play a major part later this year. Missing, either through injury or selection foibles, from the Hong Kong 22 and now available are: Weepu, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Hosea Gear, Richard Kahui, Luke McAlister, Robbie Fruean, Zac Guildford and Sonny Bill Williams in the backs; Adam Thomson, Ali Williams and Andrew Hore in the forwards. That is a serious injection of nous, power, and experience.

Factor in that Dan Carter was removed after 60 minutes of that game for Stephen Donald - fatally so from an All Blacks point of view - to manage an ankle injury and you can build a picture that the All Blacks will be a better team this year than last. Nonetheless, with the likes of Cory Jane and Tony Woodcock still missing in action, Graham Henry and his team will be doing their best to avoid walking under any further ladders.

The list of the sidelined is better news for the Highlanders' Ben Smith, whose range of skills, consistency and error-free game must be nudging him ever closer to the top 30.

He might not have the explosiveness of other options, but that hasn't held back his namesake Conrad, and his ability to cover wing, fullback and, at a stretch, inside-centre, could offer a coach some comfort as he ponders the almost endless squad permutations.

Injuries aside, there is another elephant in the room when it comes to assessing the All Blacks' chances. Discipline.

Anyone who has watched Richie McCaw's past two games, against the Force and Cheetahs, would have been reminded of how ridiculous the conspiracists sound when the claim that he is a law unto himself under the IRB-mandated protection of Paddy O'Brien - he spent a spell in the sin bin and and a host of breakdown penalties went against him.

Nonetheless the determination of New Zealand teams, led by their captain, to operate on the edge of the law at this crucial aspect of the game opens up the real possibility they could be whistled out of a vital game. You only need to be on the wrong side of one ref for one game in a World Cup. Wallabies coach Robbie Deans alluded to it last year when he said "I personally believe that some of their cynicism won't serve them well in the long run" and his point remains as valid now as it did then.

The injuries: Dagg is in a race against time to make the Cup squad, but Brad Thorn is set to return this week.

The wildcard: Victor Vito. Is he the most suitable back-up option to Kieran Read at No.8? Better lineout option than Liam Messam and starting to find form.

All Blacks Barometer - Who's in the 30?

DAN GILHOOLY

Last updated 11:59 17/05/2011

OPINION: No dramatic movement in our first Barometer update of the year, helped by a lack of substantial injuries - for once.
The Chiefs provide the biggest movers, namely winger Sitiveni Sivivatu, centre Richard Kahui, flanker Liam Messam and hooker Hika Elliot, who all shone in that dramatic defeat of the Stormers.
Don't forget, the percentages assigned to every player are the odds we give them for being named in the All Blacks' World Cup squad of 30 unveiled some time in August.
We also have a stab at what Graham Henry and his All Blacks selectors may consider their strongest starting 15.

The man who won the last Rugby World Cup has endorsed the All Blacks winning the World Cup

The man who won the last Rugby World Cup has endorsed the All Blacks' prospects of finally ending their 24-year drought at the global tournament in New Zealand later this year.

Former Springboks coach Jake White, who guided South Africa to their second global crown in France in 2007, has said he believes Graham Henry's team will end their series of World Cup chokes when they host the tournament for the first time since 1987.

Incidentally, 1987 was also the last occasion an All Blacks captain raised the Webb Ellis Cup.

White, who has just agreed to a four-year deal to coach the ACT Brumbies from 2012, told Radio Sport in an interview from Cape Town he had no doubts the more attack-minded New Zealanders could prevail at this year's tournament.

"The laws are definitely going to suit the All Blacks and the way they play," he said. "One of the things they've got, and has always been a bonus, is that everybody in New Zealand plays the same style of rugby.

"I've got no doubt the All Blacks are favourites. They've got a wonderful group of players, they've got a coaching staff that stayed on, they've got a settled squad unlike the rotation policy they had in '07, and they've got some wonderful players coming through.

"I think they must be firm favourites.

"Any person who understands rugby will know it's very difficult to win in New Zealand, New Zealand are the form team, New Zealand want to win the World Cup, and it's about time New Zealand won the World Cup.

"Whoever is going to go there and try to win the World Cup in New Zealand is going to have to be very, very good to take it away from a country like New Zealand in New Zealand."

White also wasn't interested in any theory that the All Blacks' mental fragility would be exposed under the pressure of expectation. He says teams that go to New Zealand banking on that will be on a fool's errand.

"If the only hope teams have of winning the World Cup is because New Zealand are going to fold then you're not going to win anyway," he told Radio Sport. "If you're banking on some other team losing before you can win it you might as well not attend.

"If you look at history, teams who host World Cups play a lot better... there are two chapters you can read. Chapter 1 says New Zealand win World Cups they host. Chapter 2 says New Zealand don't play well away from home and don't do well at World Cups. It depends which chapter you want to stick to."

But White did caution that despite the current laws benefiting the attacking style of the All Blacks that "defence is vitally important" at World Cups.

"Big calls get made by refs, and there are not a lot of tries scored from the halfway line, and not a lot of tries scored from your own try line. You've still got to get field position, still got to hold on to the ball, and still get points on the board with good goal kicking."

New Zealand Players leading up to the World Cup

New Zealand
The question of Richie McCaw's back-up has gobbled up so much attention that last week's departure of Mils Muliaina for a month with a back injury went under the radar.
Although there is no suggestion that Muliaina won't be fully restored to take his place in the World Cup starting side, the lack of anxiety over his absence speak volumes about the Kiwis' plethora of outside backs.
And the continued growth of Robbie Fruean - who will already be giving Adam Ashley-Cooper nightmares - has further complicated a selection area that is stacking up to be the most hotly contested.
Expressed simply, the likes of Fruean, Isaia Toeava, Richard Kahui, Israel Dagg, Joe Rokocoko, Rene Ranger, Cory Jane, Zac Guildford, Sitiveni Sivavatu, Hosea Gear and now Sean Maitland can't all fit into the squad.
Of those Toeva and Gear most likely booked their places with strong end-of-season tours, but the rampaging form of Fruean - not even fear could take Ashley-Cooper from his grasp, although the Brumby oddly appears to be lacking some conditioning - has put the rest on notice.
Fruean's lack of versatility might count against him, although there is nothing to say that the All Blacks coaches won't see him as a centre who can cover wing. Certainly they have gone down that path with Kahui and the sight of Fruean terrorising Australian defences in concert with giant midfield mate Sonny Bill Williams must have them purring about his potential.
We suspect it's possible that, injuries permitting, the All Blacks might add Fruean, Dagg and Sivavatu to their travelling party with the unlucky Jane and Rokocoko to miss out. What a problem to have.
There must be delight too that Fruean, along with Dagg, Maitland and Guildford, are safely housed in the Canterbury environment.
Notwithstanding its reputation for developing potential all three are being given the opportunity of playing alongside Dan Carter.
The expectation of Carter's excellence has meant that his form has been something of the untold story so far this year. But there has more than just the fine goalkicking and game control. There is an explosiveness and acceleration this year that serious injuries in the past few years might have dulled.
Relishing the extra attention Williams is bringing - probably off the field as well - Carter has been quick to spot a half gap and put the foot down. He takes on the voracious Highlanders loose forwards on Saturday, but watch how he'll be trying to exploit the lack of familiarity in their 10-12 channel. He seems back to his very best.
The same cannot be said of Conrad Smith during the entertaining but error-riddled Hurricanes v Chiefs game, but the clever No.13 is one of those players who has built up a vast amount of much capital with the selectors in recent years.
Despite a few uncharacteristic errors on Saturday, Smith remains the best defensive back in New Zealand, in the most important position, and offers the perfect foil to the power that Williams or Ma'a Nonu bring at No.12.
The injuries: Ali Williams will miss a month with a hamstring injury and McCaw's recovery from his tricky metatarsal injury is taking longer than expected, which will be no surprise to fans of English football who have watched David Beckham and Wayne Rooney struggle with similar injuries and turn up to World Cups as shadows of their former selves.
The wildcard: Last week we mentioned one Highlander lock, Jarrad Hoeata, this week it's the turn of another, Josh Bekhuis. His tussle with Sam Whitelock on Saturday could be a cracker.

All eyes already on 2011 World Cup

Getty Images

JUST REWARDS: All Blacks Richie McCaw and Kieran Read in action against the Wallabies.

Once again New Zealand have been the all-conquering, supremely dominant force in world rugby yet even a Tri-Nations clean sweep and a European grand slam are viewed as a mere warm-up for the ultimate validation in 2011.
Such is rugby's obsession with the World Cup that virtually every All Black victory is examined minutely to see how it relates to their hopes of ending the pain, frustration and embarrassment of five successive World Cup failures.
In recent years, All Black coaches have tried every imaginable approach to try to build towards the World Cup but Graham Henry finally decided this time that he might as well pick his best team every week and try to win every match.
He very nearly achieved it in a year that produced 13 wins from 14 matches -- the only blip being the thrilling injury-time loss to Australia in Hong Kong in October.
That ensured Lithuania would retain their unlikely record as the team with the longest winning run of 18 tests, set this year, but still there is no doubt which team are number one.
As ever, New Zealand seemed to adapt quicker and more fully to the latest tweaks to the interpretations of the game's laws. This season, these have centred on the breakdown, where the advantage has swung back to the attacking team and so encouraged and rewarded ball-in-hand, quick-recycling, multi-phased attacks.
Having swept to a clean sweep of wins in a Tri-Nations competition that averaged 55 points per game, the All Blacks cruised to their third grand slam in five years while at times barely breaking sweat against the four home unions.
They were named International Rugby Board (IRB) team of the year, Henry was coach of the year for the fourth time and peerless flanker Richie McCaw was player of the year for the third time.
MIXED SEASON
Flyhalf Dan Carter overtook Jonny Wilkinson as the game's leading scorer and will now need to match the Englishman's famed stoicism to deal with the potentially crippling load of World Cup expectation weighing on his shoulders.
Australia ended their 10-match winless streak against their neighbours with that Hong Kong win but had a mixed season. Their scrum continues to look horribly underpowered but the uncanny ability of their backs to find holes always makes them a dangerous team as they proved spectacularly when they finished the year by thrashing France by a record 59-16 in Paris.

All Blacks beat brave Wales to complete grand slam

RICHARD KNOWLER AT MILLENNIUM STADIUM - Stuff
Last updated 08:21 28/11/2010


Action from the test at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
All Blacks v Wales
1 of 11 All Blacks v Wales


There were no fist-pumps, high fives or backslaps for Dan Carter as he marked his world record in a typically understated manner when the All Blacks beat Wales 37-25 to claim the grand slam in Cardiff this morning.

After kicking the ninth minute penalty that pushed past Jonny Wilkinson's mark of 1178, first five-eighth Carter simply turned his back and, in that inimitable gait of his, jogged back to prepare for the restart.

It was far from his most memorable match but when he looks back in retirement, Carter will fondly recall the day he entrenched himself into the annals of history in front of a 73,000-strong crowd that recognises a champion when they seen one.

While the player himself and his team-mates refused to display any emotion, the ground announcer paid tribute to the great No 10, the crowd broke into applause and then it was back to business.

Ironically, for a bloke who would usually blow over kicks blindfolded, Carter had a far from memorable night with the boot and missed four of his first five shots at goal before converting five from nine.

The match started on a sombre note as a minute's silence was observed in memory of the 29 miners who lost their lives in the Pike River tragedy on the West Coast and the All Blacks also wore white armbands to pay their respects.

Prior to kick-off they stated they wanted to provide their fellow New Zealanders with a glimmer of sunshine in what had been a gloomy week and raced in a try to left wing Hosea Gear in the fifth minute; it followed after right wing Isaia Toeava dashed from the other side of the park to wrap around Sonny Bill Williams and shred four weak tackles.

Hopes Carter would equal Wilkinson's record with the conversion did not eventuate but minutes later he brought up the magical milestone and on the 22nd minute mark, fullback Mils Muliaina ripped through several weak tackles to nudge his side ahead 13-3.

Predictions the All Blacks' attack would incinerate Wales' defence appeared set to come to fruition and coach Warren Gatland must have been shifting uncomfortably in his seat as he contemplated another difficult week following the previous weekend's 16-all draw against Fiji.

Instead Wales roared back with first-five Stephen Jones' boot keeping them in touch.

Jones nailed three penalties in the first half and added three more in the second as the penalty count piled-up against the All Blacks with referee Alan Lewis caning them in the breakdown and the scrums.

Bouyed by their parochial crowd in full voice, Wales trailed 23-18 with 12 minutes remaining but their hearts were broken by late tries to Toeava and replacement tighthead prop John Afoa.

Toeava's effort started from a dreadful error by Wales second-five James Hook who was ankle tapped by Mils Muliaina as he tried to clear for touch inside his 22m zone; from the resulting counter-attack the All Blacks rammed home the advantage and replacement lock Anthony Boric sailed through a gap before feeding Toeava.

There was to be more pain for the Welsh to endure when a long-range movement that involved a sweet back-pass by Jimmy Cowan to Muliaina resulted in Afoa galloping 25m to crash over between the sticks.
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While the two late tries swept the New Zealanders to victory, they also had to call on all of their defensive will to shut out their opponents when replacement flanker Daniel Braid, who replaced the injured No 8 Kieran Read, was yellow carded for not rolling away at a ruck mid-way through the second half.

Although Jones was in fine touch with the boot, Wales were only unable to add three points while the New Zealanders, down to 14 men, scored through Gear after Jones missed a kick for touch from a penalty.

For the New Zealanders it was difficult to overlook loose forward Jerome Kaino as the man of the match; he was immense, smashing bodies in defence and proving to be the Kiwis everywhere man.

Skipper Richie McCaw was his usual industrious self, while the scrum again was under immense pressure and endured a torrid time under Lewis.

Muliaina and Toeava were the pick of the New Zealand backs, while for the Welsh, once they sorted out their defensive frailties this was a brave effort.

Their pack was outstanding and for Gatland the wolves have stopped circling. For now.

All Blacks 37 (Hosea Gear 2, Mils Muliaina, Isaia Toeava, John Afoa tries; Dan Carter 3 conv, 2 pen)

Wales 25 (Lee Byrne try, Stephen Jones 6 pens, conv).

Halftime: 13-9