KEY POINTS:
The start of the All Blacks cull came yesterday and, stacked on top of the voluntary exodus, it has consumed nearly half the World Cup squad.
Elite players out of the four New Zealand sides eliminated from the Super 14, gathered in Auckland - but there was no
room for Reuben Thorne, Chris Masoe, Nick Evans and Isaia Toeava from last year, or Jerry Collins, who quit the stage this week.
All Blacks coach Graham Henry revealed Collins would not have been selected for the squad training in Auckland this week before the best of that group and the elite Crusaders are meshed on Sunday in the 26-man national squad for the June tests against Ireland and England.
"His form had wavered and he'd be the first to agree with that," Henry said on radio. "I talked to him two weeks ago and said to him that it [blindside] was a very competitive position and that other guys were playing better than he was at the time.
"We watched him play against the Blues for the Hurricanes and the semifinal against the Crusaders last weekend, and things didn't change a great deal in that respect."
The absence of World Cup quartet Thorne, Masoe, Evans and Toeava suggests they are on the outer for Sunday, with other recent All Blacks such as Piri Weepu and Jason Eaton, who have been ignored. Add Joe Rokocoko, on the injured list, and 14 of the World Cup squad are missing from this week's gathering.
New faces are the Highlanders pair of fullback Paul Williams and former sevens representative Adam Thomson, who has made such an impression at blindside flanker. He, Jerome Kaino and Kieran Read will be disputing the vacancy left by Collins.
Three promising locks - Anthony Boric, Kevin O'Neill and Tom Donnolly - are training this week with the best likely to be promoted ahead of Eaton as back-up to the Crusaders Ali Williams and Brad Thorn.
The inclusion of Blues opensider Daniel Braid in place of Masoe suggests the All Blacks selectors have had a major rethink about their loose-forward formation, believing that Thomson, Kaino or Read offers enough versatility.
Blues outside backs Rudi Wulf and Anthony Tuitavake have joined Sitiveni Sivivatu as wing choices.
Chiefs centre Richard Kahui has made the squad on reputation and promise after another season blighted by injury, and his retention may depend on how Casey Laulala plays in Saturday's Super 14 final against the Waratahs.
Sione Lauaki also seems to have been picked on suspicion when you consider his modest Super 14 form, while teammate Stephen Donald is being trialled as Stephen Brett is involved in the big decider.
About 10 Crusaders are likely to be chosen for the All Blacks if they emerge unscathed from that final - but only a handful, including captain Richie McCaw and Daniel Carter, are likely to be asked to back up a week later in the opening test against Ireland in Wellington.