Few, if any, other test nation could afford the luxury of not selecting Rieko Ioane.
This is a 22-year-old who has scored 23 tries from 26 tests. Strike rates don't come much better.
Ioane already has more test tries than Frank Bunce, Terry Wright, Stu Wilson and Cory Jane.
Such was the ease with which Ioane regularly beat defenders it seemed he could walk on rugby's equivalent of water.
The pace, fend, step, power, everything came so naturally. Until this year it didn't.
While other nations look on and shake their heads with envy at the depth the All Blacks boast in their back three, many in New Zealand have asked 'what's happened to Rieko?'.
"He started the year well then he probably had a flat patch," All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster tells the Herald in Beppu ahead of the team's second World Cup pool match against Canada where Ioane is expected to be unleashed.
"In 2019 we don't think he's reached the levels he reached in 2018 and 2017. I know he accepts that and he's working hard at that. I know he wants to get back there and go even higher. All we can do now is give him a chance to go out there and do it."
After playing 11 tests in 2017, his second season in the All Blacks, and the same number in 2018, Ioane has featured in two of six this year.
His last appearance came in the record defeat to the Wallabies in Perth and he started the draw with the Springboks in Wellington two weeks prior.
Lack of recent gametime hasn't helped, nor have niggly calf troubles which Foster reveals tightened up during repetitive speed training and, therefore, restricted Ioane's ability to build fitness.
"He's had a few issues with his legs and not being able to put as much speed training into his week as we would like," Foster said. "It wasn't an injury that kept him out of anything but it stopped him breaking through to a new level from a fitness side."
"We've taken him out and given him a chance to run as fast as he can. He's been working hard on that."
The message for Ioane's imminent, anticipated return appears simple – be fast, hungry, aggressive.
"For the last two weeks, for the first time in probably six or eight weeks, we've probably seen him really starting to jump around and train at the level of intensity we're used to with him so we're delighted with that.
"I know he's keen. We just need him to go out there and run fast and get his hands on the ball and do the things he's done regularly for us.
"Everyone has got little work-ons but when you've been out of the game for a while and the main things you've been working on are your speed and fitness, all we want to see is him with a smile on his face and play the way he plays.
"We're not after perfection. We just want him to be fast going forward and fast going back. If he can focus on those two things then I'm sure all the other things we know he can do will fall into place. He's jumping out of his skin for an opportunity."
With George Bridge finding a home on the left wing, and Sevu Reece injecting his energy on the right, Ioane faces a fight to regain the No 11 jersey he once had locked down.
Ben Smith's experience and versatility earned him a bench role against the Boks and he will be favoured to retain that spot unless Jordie Barrett forces his way in to the first-choice team.
Given Bridge's consistency, come the knockouts it may be a straight choice between Reece and Ioane.
"Clearly he's watched the other guys play and he knows how well they've played but we also know he's a quality footballer and very determined so we're excited to see him on the park.
"It's important he gets his mojo back. He's running faster than I've seen for a while, he's being more aggressive in the contact. First game back after a while we know there'll be a few errors sneak into his game and that's fine as long as the intention to go fast is there.
"If he can get back to where we know he can be then we are in a strong position but we're going to need to be. In the war of attrition that's called a World Cup you need as many people fit and available as you can."
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