By WYNNE GRAY
Five new All Blacks will start against Wales as the coaching staff keep their pledge to give every player a test on the drive-by tour to Europe.
But unless there is an injury before the game or he can find his way onto the bench, replacement tourist Paul Steinmetz may have to wait for a run in the black jersey.
There should be no confusion about where the untried forwards - Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu, Daniel Braid and Rodney So'oialo - are selected but it may be a bigger juggling act to accommodate Waikato midfielder Regan King.
He will win his first cap at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday but it could be at second five-eighths, at centre, where he shone for Waikato, or even on the wing.
The complications are linked to the injuries to Carlos Spencer and Keith Lowen and whether the selectors think it best to spell vice-captain Tama Umaga, Doug Howlett or Jonah Lomu.
It appears Spencer and Lowen will not be fully fit for the final international against an opponent assistant coach Robbie Deans did his best yesterday to rate even though they have been in moderate form.
He knew how Steve Hansen would think and his theory was that Wales would be dangerous because they would take risks to win.
Other theories would be that Wales knew they could not win so would play some high-risk rugby to try and get as many points as possible or else hope for a wet day and try and keep the loss to as few points as possible.
Even against a rookie All Black side, Wales are not rated a chance.
Wisdom suggests King's debut will be at centre, as an extra sign the selectors were impressed with his skills from that position during Waikato's strong run to the NPC final.
While Lomu was scarcely in the spluttering match against France, it would seem logical for the coaching staff to use him again this week, to encourage his confidence and look for a vibrant performance to take him into his break before the Super 12.
Lomu has been their year-long project.
Having given him a tour reprieve, it would seem unusual to ditch him for the final match.
Whatever the verdict, it will have nothing to do with any of the regular rumours which surface from Britain about Lomu going to play for an English club after the World Cup.
On the day of the 1999 final, one newspaper reported Lomu had signed for Bristol and that same speculation is being bandied about again.
It was news and nonsense to Lomu, just as it was three years ago.
Such selectorial compassion may not be delivered to Christian Cullen after an indecisive game against France, although he might escape with a Lomu-like goodwill gesture.
Those decisions will be revealed tomorrow as the All Blacks prepare to meet a Welsh side coached by former Canterbury and Crusaders force Steve Hansen.
Apparently Hansen has made it plain that while he will do his best to pick Wales back up for next year's World Cup in Australia, he will be leaving the job soon after.
His side will face a new front row on tour with Carl Hayman in at tighthead to join the two rookies.
Ali Williams should be one lock with maybe Keith Robinson starting again.
Braid and So'oialo will be in the loose forwards and after a week off Steve Devine is likely to be asked to start in partnership with Andrew Mehrtens.
The All Blacks arrived in Cardiff yesterday on a charter flight from Paris, a journey which had a disconcerting stalled start as bags and passengers had to be shifted to give the small aircraft better trim.
They landed in unseasonally fine weather to discover veteran Wales forward Scott Quinnell had retired and would not be fronting them on Sunday.
As has been the recent custom, Lomu was wheeled in first to speak to the media.
In contrast to England and France, there was a small local media attendance as a Holmes reporter tried to squeeze more life out of the same old questions.
Lomu said he had been shocked when some parents had thrown children at him to gain his attention, he was comfortable back in the native land of his manager Phil Kingsley Jones and had been "freaked out" when he became a Christmas Hold victim against France.
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