All Blacks: World Cup hopefuls have 245 days

Injured All Black Richard Kahui will need to play his way back into the black strip with the emergence of Sonny Bill Williams. Photo / Getty Images

When the All Blacks sign off this weekend, the coaches and players will spend 245 days in international isolation until they suit up again.

That interval has already caused coach Graham Henry and his cohorts some anxiety and explains, in part, why they wanted to take as many of their shadow World Cup squad as they could muster.

That thinking was underscored by the original selection in the end-of-year tour squad of Andrew Hore and Sitiveni Sivivatu even though they were recovering from lengthy injuries.

Hore lasted, Sivivatu did not get on the plane and nor did others like Piri Weepu, Israel Dagg, Richard Kahui, Ali Williams, Corey Flynn and Adam Thomson, while Ben Franks left the tour early.

After tomorrow's test at the Millennium Stadium, the 14th of the season, the test squad will disperse for some rest then training for the Super Rugby series before the initial July 30 meeting with the Springboks in Wellington.

It is a huge eight-month gap for Henry, Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen to plot, ruminate and revise World Cup plans, to unpick theories about styles and playing rosters, before they embark on a four-test burst against the Boks and Wallabies.

That interlude persuaded the panel they needed to think World Cup for much of this tour, in planning, playing and selecting combinations.

It was a significant departure from their work before the last global tournament.

Results from last year underscored the change in emphasis.

"In 2009, we got a bit of a lesson that we needed to build the team and build the rugby game we play," Henry said.

"You can't build the rugby game if you're going to make 10 changes [every week].

"You just go back to square one again."

The vastly experienced Henry acknowledged some World Cup choices would become clearer through the Super Rugby competition, but he said that 80 per cent of the tournament squad was emerging.

Perhaps, but the growing contribution of players such as Hosea Gear, Sonny Bill Williams and Sam Whitelock who have pushed into the main frame on this current tour may have tweaked other selection plans for Henry and Co.

They always speak about adapting playing styles and bringing in new ideas.

The same could be said for some players to keep the heat on the incumbents.

You can name others left in New Zealand, some new names and others retreaded, who might deliver similar pressure upon the incumbents if they keep playing strongly or recover completely from injury and find their Super sides on form too.

Think of some such as Robbie Fruean, Rene Ranger, Luke McAlister, Colin Slade, Mike Delany, Aaron Cruden, Brendon Leonard, Rodney So'oialo, Victor Vito, Matt Todd, Tanerau Latimer, Bryn Evans, Isaac Ross, Jason Eaton, Toby Smith and Jamie Mackintosh.

Areas offering most inspection will be lock, looseforward, wing, halfback and five-eighths.

Weepu's serious leg injury and history of fitness issues must throw doubt on his full recovery, meaning there is a chance for one of a swag of halfbacks.

Another scheduled for a comeback is lock Ali Williams, but his ability to even make it at Super level remains conjecture after two Achilles tendon surgeries.

Brad Thorn's remarkable career must be a fingers-crossed subject because of his age, while his young sidekick Sam Whitelock looks the business.

Tom Donnelly and Anthony Boric have made statements they need to build on next season.

For some reason, Cory Jane has been overlooked this weekend as he and Hosea Gear have looked the sharpest of the wings on tour, while Sivivatu's ongoing injuries are a worry and Joe Rokocoko's struggles suggest an opportunity for others.

The inconsistent work from Stephen Donald presents all sorts of concerns about a backup to Daniel Carter, while Daniel Braid's part-time tour employment does not signal he is a cast-iron understudy to captain Richie McCaw.

And Liam Messam's one involvement against a modest Scotland may not have been enough to convince the panel he is a better bet in the loose forward mix than Thomson, Vito or the Cantabrian flanker Todd.

A preferred starting XV for the World Cup may be close to that being used in Cardiff tomorrow. Reserves such as Hore and Nonu will also need a drastic fall in form to miss the World Cup, but the rest of the World Cup cast should be open for serious scrutiny and plenty of discussion and debate among the selectors.