Players about to enter final Cup phase

All Black fullback Ben Smith will want to get to know his likely wings. Photo / Getty Images

After all the waiting and PR, the focus will shift to who plays — and when.

Three phases occupy players in every World Cup season.

They endure the lengthy audition process during the Super Rugby series when most survived but some, like Aaron Cruden, Patrick Tuipulotu and, we thought, Waisake Naholo, had the misfortune to be nailed by injury.

Once the squad was announced, the 31-strong group held a training camp where they set their agenda, ticked off their commercial obligations and then dispersed for visits throughout the country.

It's that awkward 10 days between making the cut and getting their boarding pass this week for the flight to Europe. Until they pass through that formality and settle themselves into the aircraft, there will be some pangs of anxiety.

Then the focus shifts to training and selection for the All Blacks' opening match against the Pumas at Wembley.

You can bet the selectors know whom they'll pick for that match but will delay that in-house announcement to see how players scrub up after the long flight and to maintain everyone's edge and to keep their opponents guessing.

If everyone is fit and the All Blacks go through with their plan to pick their strongest side, the discussion about the starting XV will be brief.

Picking the reserves may be the toughest part. Think about it.

The backs will be Ben Smith, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Conrad Smith , Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea, Daniel Carter and Aaron Smith.

The pack will be Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Owen Franks, Dane Coles and Tony Woodcock.

It's a group the selectors have veered away from rarely, depending on the opposition.

Settling on the reserves will be a balancing act because most, if not all, will start the second test against Namibia while a few like Ben Smith who begin against the Pumas may be needed to do so against Namibia as well.

It will be fascinating to see how the back three and front three selections pan out. Now he's nailed the fullback role, Ben Smith will want to play as much as he can with his likely wings so they get comfortable with their communication and nuances.

Smith, Milner-Skudder and Savea played the Bledisloe Cup tests but after this lull will need to get back into a regular combination again.

Then at some stage the mystery element of Naholo will enter discussions after his fractured leg is deemed to have completely healed.

We are told it will be the third match against Georgia where we will get some gauge of whether the injury-enforced spell has affected his brilliance.

Up front, the experienced props are coming under some heat.

They are still the business at set play but their athletic skills are not as sharp as those of Wyatt Crockett or Charlie Faumuina. However, the way World Cups pan out, set-piece authority from props like Woodcock and Owen Franks is crucial for about an hour as the pressure of playoff matches tends to compress adventure.