Wynne Gray: Carter just what the selectors were looking for

No question the success of the All Blacks' tour was the way Daniel Carter adapted to first five-eighths.

In the mission statement before the trip, the selectors spoke about looking to the future, finding someone to challenge Andrew Mehrtens and Carlos Spencer for the No 10 test jersey.

Carter answered the demands, helped by the altered dynamics of the All Blacks' patterns and the swift delivery from a rejuvenated Byron Kelleher.

The great question now is for Crusaders' coach Robbie Deans. Having won the Super 12 selection battle with the national hierarchy to keep both Carter and Mehrtens, how will he juggle those resources?

With an apparent agreement between all the Super 12 franchises and the national panel that the All Blacks will not be called into official training until January 31 - giving them an extra four weeks' break - the intrigue will be how and when many will be slotted back into action.

While Carter was the backline luminary, there were compelling performances from Kelleher, Mils Muliaina and a solidity at second five-eighths from Tana Umaga.

He may still need to return to centre against the Lions unless Muliaina is used successfully there by the Blues because Conrad Smith, Casey Laulala or Ma'a Nonu still have some way to go in nailing down the job.

If Smith had Laulala's size and pace, his skills would make him a candidate while Laulala needs more work to be ready for the big time and Nonu is still inconsistent.

Halfback Piri Weepu looks useful but he will need to sharpen his conditioning and urgency if he is to make any more inroads against Justin Marshall.

Wellington No 8 Rodney So'oialo made a serious inpact on this tour with his sidekick Jerry Collins, and if they are able to scrub up again in Super 12, they will be right in the mix for the Lions with the marvellous Richie McCaw.

So'oialo was so solid and tight as blindside flanker against Wales he demanded the selectors pick him at No 8 for France ahead of the investment they had put into the young Mose Tuiali'i.

So'oialo was even better against France, his concentration was in the combat zone all game while he was also able to explode on to a Kelleher break for a vital try.

It was a fine performance, and while So'oialo may lack the size of some, his workrate is suited to the style the All Blacks want to play. The uncertainty will be how much impact he makes when matches are badly affected by weather.

The demands on Collins were to lift his ball skills, to evade defences as well as trying to bludgeon them. He had a large tick next to his performances, and there was a similar result for loosehead prop Tony Woodcock after France.

That was a fine game and Woodcock must now repeat that for the Blues.

Lock is still a problem. Norm Maxwell's mind is willing but the frame is still unstable, Keith Robinson's future is uncertain after surgery, Jono Gibbes did not get to start, Ali Williams' concentration is not sharp enough and Reuben Thorne is not big enough for internationals.

The sheer bloody-mindedness of Anton Oliver was invaluable, his presence and experience core to the forward strike against France and his duels with Keven Mealamu and the injury-affected Corey Flynn should be a Super 12 fascination.

So have any of the new faces demanded inclusion yet in the senior XV? Not yet, and like the rookies who went away to Europe in 2002, it may take a couple more years for the outlay to resurface.

Men like So'oialo, Mealamu and Woodcock were new men on that trip.

On this voyage the fresh or barely tried players were Rico Gear, Laulala, Smith, Luke McAlister, Jimmy Cowan, Weepu, Stephen Bates, Jerome Kaino and Saimone Taumoepeau.

McAlister's hamstring troubles left him sidelined and untested, and while the rest had their moments, none suggested they are ready yet to oust their rivals.