So what do I do? Well don't worry, rugby fans, all is not lost. I've got a plan. Colin Slade did okay against Canada, although I'm thinking his confidence hasn't quite returned. So when we play Argentina on Sunday at 8.30pm at Eden Park, I'm gonna give Slade maybe 50 minutes of rugby and then bring on Aaron Cruden.
If there is one thing I've learned being the armchair coach for 100 tests, it's that you need to have that x-factor in a test match. Carter had it and Cruden has it in abundance.
I purposely left the Manawatu flyer out of the original squad until now, so he is an unknown factor to our opponents.
So just to give the Daily Post readers an early insight into the team I'm selecting for our game against Argentina on Sunday, here it is.
By the way if anyone has Graham Henry's cell number can you text this list to him? Cheers.
Greg's squad: Tony Woodcock, Kevin Mealamu, Owen Franks, Brad Thorn, Sam Whitelock, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw (c), Keiran Read, Piri Weepu, Colin Slade, Richard Kahui, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Cory Jane, Israel Dagg. Reserves: Andrew Hore, Ben Franks, Ali Williams, Victor Vito, Jimmy Cowan, Aaron Cruden, Sonny Bill Williams.
Now I know many of you will be saying, "Hey, what about Mils Muliaina and his 100th test?" Sorry, I don't have room for sentiment and doesn't it make a better question for the lid of a Tui bottle in years to come? Who was the All Black who played 99 tests?