Pundits put All Blacks out in front

By WYNNE GRAY

The All Blacks won the Tri-Nations, but questions would have to be asked about whether the victory was convincing enough to have New Zealand dominating a combined selection from the All Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies.

The Zurich World Rankings, based on a European company's detailed statistical evidence about players' skills during the series, has no doubts.

It has put seven All Blacks into a composite XV.

No 8 Scott Robertson's selection was the most clear-cut.

A huge distance separated his ranking and that of his closest rival, Wallaby Toutai Kefu.

Fellow All Black loose forward Richard McCaw, the player of the series to many New Zealand eyes, is not in the side.

His place went by a significant distance to Springbok Joe van Niekerk.

That decision was as surprising as the non-selection of lock Chris Jack and the choice of his partner Simon Maling.

Close decisions favoured the All Black grouping of Justin Marshall, Andrew Mehrtens and Aaron Mauger.

Rookie hooker Tom Willis was just beaten for the job by Jeremy Paul.

Those like Robertson, who made the side easily on the back of two strong tests, were Springboks Werner Greef and Breyton Paulse, All Black Tana Umaga and Wallaby Stirling Mortlock.

All Black captain Reuben Thorne is rated the third best blindside flanker behind Owen Finegan and David Lyons.

The statistical judges say players are judged primarily on the core skills required for their position. They are then rated on extra qualities they bring to games and how much they play in a series.

But their basic skills criteria and judgments could be questioned if they believe, after the Tri-Nations series, that there is a significant gap between Robertson and Kefu, McCaw and van Niekerk.

There does not appear to be any great selection flexibility.

It could be argued that van Niekerk as a ball-carrying flanker and McCaw as a scavenging, defensive repossession agent, would make a great double act.

Jack's omission is a mystery, and on core skills such as passing, and organisation, George Gregan appeared to be a level ahead of Marshall.

Mauger by his previous standards was quiet throughout the Tri-Nations, but was picked.

The Zurich ratings seem to be at odds with a general belief that the All Black forwards were stronger than the backline.

THE PLAYERS

ZURICH XV

Werner Greef, Breyton Paulse, Tana Umaga, Aaron Mauger, Andrew Mehrtens, Justin Marshall, Scott Robertson, Joe van Niekerk, Owen Finegan, Simon Maling, Nathan Sharpe, Greg Somerville, Jeremy Paul, Bill Young.

GRAY'S XV

Werner Greef, Doug Howlett, Tana Umaga, Daniel Herbert, Stirling Mortlock, Andrew Mehrtens, George Gregan, Toutai Kefu, Joe van Niekerk, Richard McCaw, Chris Jack, Jannes Labuschagne, Greg Somerville, Jeremy Paul, Lawrence Sephaka.