Inga Tuigamala: Coaches must smell mediocrity they're cooking

Opinion

Cometh the hour, cometh the men?

It's do or die for the All Blacks if they are to retain any chance of defending their Tri-Nations title.

And the All Black coaches and selectors - the so-called three wise men - are the ones under the most pressure.

It's time to stop regarding the All Blacks as a work in progress the way the selectors - and Steve Hansen in particular - keep portraying it.

Please, please, please: If the All Blacks make mistakes, put your hand up and say we got it wrong. Don't keep peddling this "work in progress" line. We're all tired of the same old excuses.

Rugby means so much to this country. It is time to front up, to produce the goods, to be true to the All Black jersey and its traditions. And those traditions don't involve excuses.

I'm picking on Hansen a bit here because, of the three, he's the one who keeps pushing the line that they are still working on things and the situation will improve. That simply isn't what test match rugby is all about.

The public is tired of it and I also wonder if by continually repeating this line, the attitude seeps into some players who then lose that total desperation to win which was inherent in All Black teams of the past.

Despite the outward calm, I believe there is a lack of confidence within this All Black team, and it might include a lack of confidence in the people who are running it.

When the ships starts to sink, you don't look to the passengers for answers. It's down to the skipper and in this case, I'm not talking about the terrific Richie McCaw.

Some individuals are just not fronting up and I wonder whether there is a lack of confidence in the game plan, or a lack of understanding of it. The warning bells are ringing loudly.

Graham Henry, Hansen and Wayne Smith are under real pressure after a poor season so far with unacceptable results and performances. On a positive note, Henry is someone who thrives under the pressure but what is very evident so far is that this team isn't gelling together.

I have to say that I believe there are probably some very unhappy people in that squad, even though they may not want to say it.

The return of Luke McAlister doesn't exactly fill me with confidence either. Henry clearly likes him, and McAlister has a talent, but he's lost his X-factor at the moment. He's been rushed back, and not to good effect.

It is also asking a lot of Daniel Carter to return to test duty after a long injury layoff and just three NPC games. His hasty selection is a sign of desperation.

Combining Carter and McAlister in the five eighths is also a concern, because it hints that we will rely heavily on a kicking-for-territory game. The All Blacks need to find ways to use their attacking advantages with the ball in hand.

At the moment, I would place South Africa at the top of the Tri-Nations heap, with Australia second and New Zealand third.

I think Robbie Deans will be quite happy with the way things are coming along with the Wallabies and I love the way he has blooded new players.

In comparison though, the All Blacks look confused.

I keep thinking that the All Blacks are going to improve, but to be honest, I'm not sure why when they have been playing so poorly. It is probably the ex-All Black in me, the one that will always believe that they can get up off the floor.

I don't question the players' hearts, but I do question the strategies because they simply aren't working. We're supposed to be a professional outfit - some people have a lot to answer for.

* Inga Tuigamala played 19 tests for the All Blacks