KEY POINTS:
Remember the old television character Sledgehammer? The gung-ho detective who, each episode, would unholster a sidearm the size of a howitzer and - just before taking aim in a crowded shop - remark, "Trust me, I know what I'm doing"?
Well, he's back. At least, he made a
guest return in my dreams yesterday, striding into my subconsciousness wearing a Graham Henry face mask and flanked by apparitions of Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith.
That the visitation occurred not long after the conclusion of yesterday's Super 14 final at Durban, where two obviously buoyant South African sides played out a pulsating showpiece in front of an ever-believing faithful, should come as no surprise to anyone.
It seems only a year ago that we were laughing at South Africa's World Cup chances, lampooning Australia at will, and basking in the deceptive glow of a highly successful Northern Hemisphere tour.
That was the time when the main question seemed to surround not New Zealand's tournament prognosis, but who might fill the World Cup's minor placings once Sledge's - oops, I mean Henry's - troops had swept to success.
How things have changed. In the time it takes to recondition a bunch of leading rugby players, we've suddenly awoken to the fact that South Africa were just playing possum last season and are now shaping as genuine contenders.
While New Zealand's finest have been labouring back from an enforced lay-off, South Africa have used their time more urgently, building a base from which they will certainly test the All Blacks' favouritism in France.
Uncertainty now abounds. No one knows what will happen next; not you, not me, not even Sledge - despite the accuracy of his shooting, and his habit of coming out on top whatever the odds.
It was bad enough having to defend his rotation policies last season when - in the name of experimentation - he opted for unprecedented changes of personnel, and left traditionalists aghast at his departure from convention.
But as strategies go, this is even more left-field, and leaves just about every New Zealand rugby fan desperately wanting to believe that our man has discovered the secret formula to success, rather than a novel way of losing.
You only had to witness the passion and intensity at Durban yesterday morning, when not only the players but also the sell-out crowd reflected a new-found positivity in South African rugby, to understand where the problems might lie.
There is a belief in the Republic's rugby now, a sense of confidence that will help the South Africans raise their game to whatever level required in order to compete with the All Blacks across the park.
It's true, if Henry's ruse about rest and recuperation is on the money, there's the chance that New Zealand will time their World Cup run to perfection and take advantage of their more jaded opponents - be they South Africa, Australia, France or England.
But you wouldn't want to put the mortgage on it. Whatever the toll taken on the major contenders at this stage of the year, they'll almost certainly lift themselves for the tournament proper and use every drop of energy in the tank.
And that's why we simply have to hope that Henry's theory will work in practice.
In his defence, he's shocked us before and has come out smelling of roses; he's walked with controversy and has emerged unscathed, and he's built the present All Blacks into one of the most formidable squads in rugby history.
If he can only finish it off with triumph in France, he'll surely be deserving of our highest praise, not to mention a confidence that should mean he's seldom, if ever, doubted again.
"Trust him, he knows what he's doing," will be the catch-cry.
HIGHS
Team New Zealand, who continue to improve through the Louis Vuitton semifinals, jumping out to a 4-1 lead on Desafio Espanol after a big win yesterday morning.
LOWS
The FA Cup final. Dull, boring, pedestrian; a disappointing way to celebrate the revamped Wembley Stadium and an even bigger downer for the New Zealand faithful who sacrificed their sleep to watch it.
