Commonsense should prevail when it comes to picking the players to hopefully win the World Cup on home soil in 2011.

It seems a long way off, but time will fly between now and then and if the All Blacks selectors are truly looking at only two unnamed overseas-based players to bolster those at home, I'd urge them to think again.

New Zealand has long produced a conveyor belt of gifted players fuelled by the ambition to become an All Black.

In these professional days, New Zealand players pop up all around the globe. They are in high demand.

But having said that, I'm not sure we have the depth of quality we've had in earlier periods and with that in mind, the selectors should have an open mind when it comes to players best suited to winning the Webb Ellis Cup.

I don't go along with this business of players returning to New Zealand having to sit out a period before becoming eligible for All Blacks selection.

If they're returning to New Zealand and are the best for the job, then pick them right away.

Some flak was thrown the New Zealand union's way over how Luke McAlister was given an easy path back into the All Blacks this year.

I've got no problem with the fast track approach. Okay, McAlister hasn't recovered his best form since returning but he's a good player. What's the point of having quality footballers twiddling their thumbs for a stand-down period? If the selectors want them, get them in.

I presume tighthead prop Carl Hayman will be one of the two the selectors have in mind. I wouldn't mind betting Nick Evans is the other.

Stephen Donald is a fine Super rugby player but he's still finding his feet at international level. I mean no disrespect when I say I'm not sure he has the temperament of Andrew Mehrtens or Grant Fox. They were great first five-eighths so perhaps the comparison is unfair.

But the point remains that all the great teams have a strong No 9-10 combination - think Nick Farr-Jones and Michael Lynagh for Australia; Joost van der Westhuizen and Joel Stransky for South Africa; or David Kirk and Foxy when we won the World Cup first time around 22 years ago.

Donald could make real progress in the next 18 months but if Evans is keen to return I'd get him back and forget the stand-down period. You can't have too many quality players pushing for places in key positions.

As for this weekend's test against the Springboks, I'd be urging the All Blacks to attack flat out from the start, try and take the initiative and set the Boks back on their heels.