Gregor Paul and Paul Lewis have differing opinions on the bench strategy of the All Blacks which has been the focus of much recent debate.
When a rugby team's bench makes a significant impact every time it is used, there is reason to argue the selectors have made some good choices.
But there is an alternative - like, why weren't some of the players on the bench in the starting XV?
That's certainly a recurring
thought with the All Blacks right now. The bench continues to add punch and claw the side back into the game. This season, the All Blacks were down early in Dunedin against the French.
They trailed at halftime at Eden Park - 13-10 although they were fortunate it was not worse - and again last week, they hit the break with much to do at 14-3 behind.
There is more to this slow-starting phenomenon than just statistics. In every test this season, the All Blacks have only really found their rhythm and intensity in the final quarter.
In the final 20 minutes, they have taken control, strung some phases together, tightened their set-piece and applied constant pressure.
So what is it - smart bench strategy or failure to pick the right team in the first instance?
It's probably a combination. Some players are better suited to coming off the bench. They are better able to make their presence felt coming on after 55 minutes than they are by starting.
The most obvious example is Piri Weepu who has, in the past year, become a dedicated bench player. That's not by choice.
Weepu would far rather start. But the selectors like the fact he can cover halfback and first-five (at a push) so his versatility lends him to that role. But there is more to it than that.
He is an astute reader of the game and, according to Graham Henry, can determine vital data from the sidelines.
"I don't want to sound negative about that but he makes a huge difference coming off and playing the last 30," Henry said of Weepu in June.
"He did it for us last year, he was usually our halfback substitute and he's doing it again this year.
"He's got a good head for the game and he's helping us immensely with our tactical approach. It was the same with the Hurricanes [in this year's Super 14], when he came on for them, he opened up games.
"Any sportsman wants to start in the team situation. For us, at this point in time, I think it's better he comes on and makes a point of difference."
Weepu's is seventh on the list of All Blacks to have played the most tests as substitutes. Whether he would have the same effect starting is debatable.
In the final quarter, fatigue sets in and space is easier to find. The bruising and relentless work of Jimmy Cowan paves the way for Weepu; takes some of the sting out of the contest and stretches the opposition.
Keven Mealamu is another who has stood out this season, making a significant contribution each time he has entered the fray. His low centre of gravity and hunger to carry the ball make him effective against tiring sides.
He heads the all-time list, with 26 appearances off the bench. While by no means a poor scrummager, Mealamu has been mainly the reserve hooker for three years. The selectors preferred the greater bulk of Anton Oliver between 2005 and 2007 and now Andrew Hore.
Arguably, there is a case to start Mealamu given the current lineout woes. However, asked recently about the two hookers, forwards coach Steve Hansen, said: "The problem we've got is that there are two world-class hookers. [But] We think Kevvy's better coming off the bench than Andrew is."
Hore has been resilient - the type of player who relishes prolonged game time week after week. Unless his performance picks up however, the temptation to start Mealamu, who played superbly against France when Hore was injured, could prove too hard to resist. The assessment that Mealamu is better off the bench might have to be revised.
As it will with Kieran Read who, before this morning's game, was shaping as a better option at No 8 than the still-struggling Rodney So'oialo.
Unlike Weepu and Mealamu, Read doesn't fit the bill as an impact player. His game is all about high work-rate, efficiency and accuracy. He's not an explosive ball carrier or destructive tackler - he slowly turns the screw, relentlessly exerting pressure through his ability to get to the ball.
The All Blacks would benefit from Read's work earlier in the game with a view to using the more experienced So'oialo off the bench where he could play himself back into form in the latter stages of the contest when the pace has died down.
Cory Jane is the other oddity on the bench.
The game - as is detailed on p 76-77 - has changed, possibly irreversibly. The back three are now certain to spend much of the time fielding high kicks and chasing their own.
That is not a strength of starting wing Joe Rokocoko. But it is a facet in which Jane is skilled. Depending on how things went this morning, it might be that changes are made.
Assistant coach Wayne Smith hinted that some members of the backline were under pressure to keep their places.
"I think some of the players played really well in the backline," he said. "That was a pretty easy decision on them. There were a couple of positions where there's a bit of heat coming on. Execution's been a big thing under pressure, where we've made some critical errors."
Another rusty game from big Joe and his future will come under a cloud, while Ma'a Nonu is another who must know that he is a prime bench candidate.
After coming of age last year, Nonu has been relatively quiet in 2009 and not found the line-breaking form which is the foundation stone of his game.
His skill-set make him an ideal candidate for the bench with Luke McAlister's greater poise and tactical awareness possible better suited to start.
