KEY POINTS:
Graham Henry will be be a worried man at this point in the Super 14 season.
Apart from an obvious weakness at first five-eighths, with Dan Carter out of the picture, the injury toll among our leading players has been freakishly high.
It is hard to tell if
this is bad luck or bad management. South Africa and Australia aren't suffering in the same way and maybe it is just a case of it being our turn for the bad luck.
The only possible explanation that I can offer is that the players are over-trained at this point in the season. I know this sounds like a contradiction, but players do need to bed themselves into the new season.
Maybe the combination of heat, rock hard grounds and highly tuned footballers is causing the problems. I may be clutching at straws though and it could simply be down to a roll of the dice.
The injury list includes the trio who rate as our finest All Blacks right now: Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and Ali Williams. Henry has also seen Andrew Hore, Jimmy Cowan, Mils Muliaina, Richard Kahui, Jamie Mackintosh, Leon MacDonald, Brad Thorn, Andy Ellis, Corey Flynn, Keven Mealamu, Sione Lauaki, Rudi Wulf and Conrad Smith affected to various degrees.
That is one heck of a list. Throw in the player drain overseas and New Zealand rugby is taking a massive hit and it showed in the latest weekend of Super 14 rugby.
After a good recovery following the 2007 World Cup, this is shaping as a year in which we may well struggle at Super 14 and test level. We even saw something that would have been unthinkable in years gone past - a New South Wales scrum smashing the Chiefs of Waikato. At least coach Ian Foster has admitted to the problem and called in the scrum guru, Mike Cron.
The key problem area for the All Blacks is first five-eighth and hands up here, because I can't say I have a solution.
There isn't anyone to touch Dan Carter. I believe that Stephen Donald is a year or so away from peaking which is when we will be able to properly judge his test merit.
Piri Weepu might be an option because he is tough and clever, and has shown promising signs even though he is known more as a halfback. The selectors don't appear that keen on him as a No 10 however.
I do like the look of the Hurricanes' Daniel Kirkpatrick though, a star in his junior international career.
On that point, I've yet to see any bright new talent really stand out among New Zealand teams or those from Australia and South Africa. If there is a player to catch my eye, it is the Blues wing Rene Ranger. What I love is Ranger's confidence in taking the opposition on. He can step both ways and, while he is not lightening quick, he has effective speed. There is a touch of the Rupeni Caucaunibuca to him and he also reminds me of Craig Green, the former All Black wing who wasn't super quick but who knew how to beat defenders.
Ranger makes up his mind very quickly which gains him extra time. And he is showing the critical sign that marks a class player - the appearance of having time that others don't have. He's not afraid to get involved in the tough defence either.
I'm also very impressed with the new All Black Kieran Read from the Crusaders. He has a terrific work rate, like another Richie McCaw.
Finally, a word on Carlos Spencer, who wants to come back and play for Auckland and perhaps the Blues.
I never played with Carlos, but I certainly remember playing against him. It was in 1993, when Auckland played Horowhenua in Levin on their home patch.
Carlos was a young unknown and he scored a fantastic try against us. I remember looking at John Kirwan and going "whoa - who is that?".
Graham Henry brought him up to Auckland the next season and I believe he played his best rugby at NPC and Super 12 level.
Carlos was a wonderful entertainer and just the sort of player the game needs. Who else could toy with a player as good as Jeff Wilson, by bouncing the ball on his fingertips? An ability to do magical things in front of a big audience isn't about arrogance, it's about confidence.
From what I'm told, Auckland isn't showing major signs of wanting Carlos back. And Carlos himself should be cautious.
The body takes a hammering in the long northern seasons and it can be difficult to re-adapt to rugby down here, which is always advancing in pace and technique.
Only the player himself can really know.
I tried to make it back in New Zealand after a professional union and league career in England. After a couple of club games, I knew it was time to retire. The game had moved on and I had to as well.
* Inga Tuigamala played 19 tests for the All Blacks
