Decisions in 2004 key to glory

Sitiveni Sivivatu has the pace, power and confidence the All Black coaches want to implement their game plan of offloads on attack. Picture / Reuters

What have been the greatest achievements of this All Black group and their coaching staff since they started their partnership three years ago?

How about the scrum revolution and the work done by Mike Cron, with that set piece now the equal of any in the world?

Or the accumulation of 30 players who can start any test, a blend which allows the side to change tactics or slot seamlessly into any vacancies left by injury?

What about the strength on defence which indicates the mental adjustments the side has made from some of the more flaky moments in the past decade?

All those aspects of the All Blacks have combined to ratchet up their competence and send them to the top of the world rankings.

Along the way, there have been a few mishaps. The flat backline was a millstone which disappeared, while the lineout with the whirling dervish dartboard targets for the throwers to hit has also been revised.

There have been some selection oddities, like the choice of Jerome Kaino this year on suspicion rather than form, then his axing because he was not fit enough.

Single tests for Sosene Anesi, Kevin Senio and David Hill smelled of some political motives, while switching Marty Holah to blindside flanker was baffling. There was also the investment in wunderkind utility Isaia Toeava which may yet deliver a dividend next year, although you wonder whom he can displace.

Three decisions for me though, all in 2004, shaped this All Black project, now a year out from the World Cup.

For the tour to Europe at the end of that year, Henry and his selectors decided to rest the multi-capped combination of Justin Marshall and Andrew Mehrtens. They were headstrong characters, coming from the era when you fought your own corner in the team environment, even if it was to the detriment of the team. Some would call them divisive, others would label them matchwinners.

They were great players but the selectors reasoned the old guard were not going to last until France 2007. So for the trip to Europe, both were 'rested' while others got their chance.

The second judgement was to switch Daniel Carter to first five-eighths in the injury absence of another senior player, Carlos Spencer.

Half a year on, Carter was being applauded as the best pivot in the game and even now must be the best five-eighths in the celebrated and long history of All Black rugby.

The third part of the jigsaw was the attacking formula devised to offer offloads to punch holes in the defences, forcing opponents to retreat behind the gain line and opening space elsewhere. It was a fast-paced game requiring athletes with power, skill and confidence.

Chunks of the gameplan came through in the five-try 45-6 blitz of France in Paris that year, delivering on the promise of how devastating the All Blacks could be if they also had their set piece foundations solid.