Time was, just at the end of last year, when Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith were rated the world's best midfield combination. They looked a shoo-in for the World Cup side. But this season has brought the Crusaders duo, Sonny Bill Williams and Robbie Fruean, thrusting to the fore. Now, some are saying one or both of them could make it into the All Blacks' top team. Peter Bills talked to 1960s/1970s centre Grahame Thorne, a man who played 39 times for the All Blacks and won 10 caps, to get his unique, revealing assessment of all four players ...
Not a lot shocks Grahame Thorne, in a rugby sense.
But the former All Black who, back in his day, was considered huge for a centre at 1.77m and 81.6kg, shakes his head at the size of the modern day practitioners of his sport.
"Man, they are enormous; absolute gladiators," he says.
"But the speed they move at and the power they generate, especially when they hit the line at pace which they all do so well, is incredible."
Thorne admits he assumed that the tried and tested Ma'a Nonu/Conrad Smith partnership would be the only show in town for the All Blacks come the Rugby World Cup this September.
But, by the excellence of their play for the Crusaders in the early weeks of the season, Sonny Bill Williams and Robbie Fruean have forced themselves into contention.
Now, there is a whole new teaser for the All Blacks selectors to contemplate; the value of playing a complete midfield unit from a single team, the Crusaders, in the All Blacks side. Thorne says: "Dan Carter at 10, Sonny Bill Williams at 12 and Robbie Fruean at 13 doesn't sound to me like the worst midfield unit you'd find on the planet.
"In fact, it reminds me of a similar understanding we once had in my day, four guys from the New Zealand Universities side in Chris Laidlaw, Earle Kirton, Gerald Kember and myself.
"We knew each other's play intricately; it was a pretty deadly combination.
"We never played for the All Blacks together but I reckon we'd have gone okay."
The Thorne files on the four individual midfield contenders for the All Blacks World Cup squad reads as follows:
Conrad Smith
Age: 29
Birthplace: Hawera
Height: 1.86m
Weight: 95kg
Team: The Hurricanes
Super rugby debut: 2004, v The Cats
Test debut: 2004, v Italy
Test caps: 45
"Smith reminds me a bit of Walter Little as a player; he's a pretty bright guy and you can see that in the way he plays.
"In our day, you went out to score more tries than the other side. But since professionalism people talk only about defence, not attack. To me, that's wrong but this bloke can attack and well.
"Smith is quick enough and he's an elusive runner. But in the modern game, I don't think your midfield guys have to be greyhounds. When do they ever run more than 25m? What they must have is explosive pace off a standing start and Smith is as good as most in that department.
"In fact, he looks leaner and more slippery than the others. I like him as a player. He is sometimes a bit overshadowed by the big boys but he's a talent, a proper footballer with skills. He thinks about the game and about these things. You can see him thinking as he gets the ball.
"I think he is all right for his place, he is probably the one certainty not least because he runs the midfield. But the two combinations, Smith and Nonu from the Hurricanes and Williams and Fruean from the Crusaders are very useful for the All Blacks."
Ma'a Nonu
Age: 28
Birthplace: Wellington
Height: 1.82m
Weight: 104kg
Team: The Hurricanes
Super rugby debut: 2003, v Crusaders
Test caps: 56
Test debut: 2003, v England
"He's a powerful runner, as strong as an ox and a great tackler. But at times he takes the wrong option or loses the plot. So although he is a very strong player, is he more an explosive replacement? He would be lethal against a tiring defence.
"He is more of a bustling, sort of run-into-a-guy player rather than try to beat him. But he is a straight runner who certainly knows the way to the goal line. But he hasn't really got a sidestep; he relies on raw power.
"In my day you tried to find space and avoid contact. But now they look for people to hit.
"However, one important thing about Nonu is that he always plays well for Graham Henry. He plays better for the All Blacks than for the Hurricanes. He tries to do too much on his own for them whereas with the All Blacks, he has better players around him and he obviously realises he doesn't have to try and do it all on his own.
"He has a big-match temperament and Graham Henry seems able to bring the best out of him. But have we seen the best of him? I think the other guys are catching up. He has been taking a lot of hits and he may be slowing down.
Sonny Bill Williams
Age: 25
Birthplace: Auckland
Height: 1.91m
Weight: 108kg
Team: The Crusaders
Super rugby debut: 2011, v Waratahs
Test debut: 2010, v England
Test caps: 3
"He's not a rugby union player, he's still a league player really. That is why he has that wonderful offload which is classic league stuff. They have to flick the pass out to exploit the gap.
"His weakness is that he is still prone to making errors, especially in ball retention which is so important now. You can't throw the ball away. And another thing is you can't buy experience. I played six games of club rugby and then they picked me for the All Blacks. I can tell you, I came back from those early games and just relived every moment of them so that I'd learn.
"As for size; well, they thought I was big when I played but he's 27kg heavier than I was. That's phenomenal.
"With ball in hand, he tries to beat people and why wouldn't you? If you're in midfield and you see a forward near you in the opposition defence, you have to say the break is on so go for it. That is what rugby is about. Space. "One thing in favour of him is that his offloading, which is so good, is critical to the overall strategy of the All Blacks. And he also takes the ball at pace, something Fruean does as well. I like that."
Robbie Fruean
Age: 23
Birthplace: Wellington
Height: 1.90m
Weight: 104kg
Team: The Crusaders
Super rugby debut: 2009, for Hurricanes v Blues
Test caps: 0
"I had the same thought about him as Nonu. Bring this guy on with half an hour left against a tiring defence and what an impact he'd have.
"I like this bloke, he is really a player to watch. For me, he will be a better centre than Nonu in the years to come. He has more going for him in terms of sensing gaps and space. He can use his feet better than Nonu and I also like the fact that, unlike Nonu, he tries to get around defenders. He has more skills than Nonu and is a better off-loader.
"Is he too young to put into a World Cup squad? No. You need youth because youth doesn't have the worry you acquire as you play for the All Blacks. The more caps you get, the more conservative you become, you don't take the risks.
"Fruean would be alright because he would have good players around him. Is he ready for it? Well, playing Super 15 rugby now is like playing test rugby against countries like Ireland, Wales and Scotland. So why not?
"You have to say that Williams and Fruean are getting a better ride in terms of good ball than Nonu and Smith behind the Hurricanes pack."
Conclusions
"I would start with Sonny Bill Williams and Conrad Smith, and bring on Fruean as an impact substitute," says Thorne. "Or Graham Henry would probably bring on Nonu. I just like Fruean, he has got something that is a bit special.
"Sonny Bill, as an attacking back, is right up there, he is a magnificent footballer. But he has a bit of a problem still getting to grips with rugby. Sometimes he does things that are not quite right.
"Conrad Smith, as a thinking player, can put players into gaps and also tidy up any s*** left. And that happens - things go wrong. The Australian Wally Lewis was the greatest rugby player I ever saw, not least because when he stuffed up he fixed up the mess. Conrad has that ability.
"Nonu will run into brick walls for you, but his distribution skills are not as good as Smith's. As for Fruean, I think he is learning every week and he looks like the bolter.
"Marks out of 10? No one gets the whole 10. But they're all up there with high marks. I'd say Smith gets 9, Sonny Bill 8.5, Fruean and Nonu 8. The All Blacks are lucky to have four such top players."
