KEY POINTS:
It is a question for the trainspotters who love to pore through records and almanacs.
When did the All Blacks post a test looseforward combination as inexperienced as debut men Liam Messam, Kieran Read and eight times capped Adam Thomson?
Not in Graham Henry's reign, though in his
first test in charge, against England at Carisbrook in 2004 he picked Jono Gibbes on debut, Xavier Rush who had one cap and current skipper Richie McCaw who had picked up the experience of playing in 21 internationals then.
Two years earlier on the end of year tour to the UK when coaches John Mitchell and Robbie Deans left 21 players at home for reconditioning, Rodney So'oialo and Daniel Braid made their debuts together against Wales which was balanced by then skipper Taine Randell playing his 51st test on the blindside. The answer it seems, is in the 1992 series against the World XV when in the second match of that series, coach Laurie Mains chose Arran Pene after one test, Jamie Joseph for his debut and Paul Henderson for his third international.
If Henry and co had taken a real flier in terms of opensider Scott Waldrom and inexperience, they would have created a benchmark in modern All Blacks history by picking an all-debutant combination. Instead they opted for Thomson who is very tall for an opensider but also extremely fast with some insurance from skipper Richie McCaw who will be on the bench.
The rationale is very simple. The selectors have chosen an extended squad of 35 players for the five tests and one provincial clash with Munster and they have to get them all into action. Given their verdict that it is impossible or at least counter-productive for players to start in every test, they assessed that Scotland offered them the best chance to try some of the others in the squad.
They were potential long-term All Blacks who needed to get on the park, who needed selection certainty and to feel the pace of the test from the start, the coaching staff said.
Messam was a natural athlete who would deliver, Read was a quality player who could have been chosen after a consistent Super 14 campaign but lost out to Thomson in the Tri-Nations squad while the woolly-haired Otago man had now had a useful taste of test rugby.
That trio of exciting talent had been chosen behind a tight five which included plenty of experience, from new captain Keven Mealamu and senior lock Ali Williams. It is a pack which should be able to give the loosies a platform from which to exhibit their many skills.
Coach Henry resisted the chance to label the looseforward choice as experimental. He preferred to talk about the potential that Messam and Read offered now and for the future and how it was appropriate that the inquiries about that talent should start on this tour.
Waldrom was another interesting talent but there was no room for his involvement with McCaw filling a role on the substitutes' bench.
With the team named, only Waldrom, baby-bound Mils Muliaina, Jason Eaton, Ben Franks and replacement hooker Hikawera Elliot have been overlooked for the first two test squads.
