Rugby: Wynne Gray's form NZ Super 15 team

Isaia Toeava. Photo / Getty Images

A host of borderline All Blacks have earned repeat chances to assert their test claims through the Blues and Crusaders in this weekend's start to the extended Super 15 playoffs.

The Blues have two cast-iron All Blacks - captain Keven Mealamu and Jerome Kaino - still playing while 12 others are grouped in the fringe prospects pool. Usual national squad certainties Tony Woodcock and Isaia Toeava remain in the casualty ward, and as with Rene Ranger have little or no chance of being available even if the Blues make the final.

Top New Zealand qualifier the Crusaders have eight All Black certainties and another seven players on the fringes who are pushing to make the Tri-Nations and World Cup groups.

If the Blues get past the Waratahs at Eden Park on Friday and the Crusaders beat the Sharks the following night, the Blues will meet the Reds in one semifinal in Brisbane and the Crusaders will travel to Cape Town to play the Stormers.

This season has been a constant diet of travel for the Crusaders since the February earthquake rendered their Christchurch home ground unsafe. They have won the title seven times and been runners-up twice in the 15 Super series since professional rugby went global in 1996.

They have claimed titles in a variety of extraordinary matches away from their home base but if they were to claim another this season on their weekly roadshow, it would rank with the greatest achievements in their glittering history.

These playoffs will sharpen the observations of the All Black selectors as they gauge the merits of the extra players they need to fill their 30-strong squad for the Tri-Nations then World Cup assignments. They may use the chance to test standby players as some like Woodcock, Toeava, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Conrad Smith, Richard Kahui, Israel Dagg and Colin Slade have varying return dates from injury.

The squad eventually revealed by the All Black panel will differ from those picked by amateur selectors throughout the land. About all the national selectors have revealed is that they will use 14 backs, 16 forwards split with three halfbacks and three hookers to guard against World Cup replacement regulations, and that they will choose a specialist five-eighths backup to Daniel Carter.

Men like Mils Muliaina, Brad Thorn, Ma'a Nonu and Andrew Hore have been in fitful form, Richie McCaw, Sam Whitelock and Piri Weepu have barely played but will be All Black certainties.

Not in a form squad though, where the selection criterium was that contenders had to play for the bulk of the competition. Some, like Ben Smith and Adam Thomson have stayed but faded, signs which the All Black selectors will take into account when they make their decisions. Players who have history with the All Blacks like Thomson will get more selection leniency than others seeking to make their mark.

On this season's ongoing evidence, Jared Payne has been the most consistent centre in the Super 15 but he is at best a marginal All Black selection because of Smith, Kahui, Nonu and Sonny Bill Williams. His post-season exit to Ulster will count against him.

Some like Nonu are starting to step it up, others like Victor Vito have played soundly but been buried in an ill-performing forward pack, Toeava was outstanding in 10 games before he was injured, Matt Todd showed out regularly until late in the series. This is not the World Cup squad the All Black panel will chose but it is the form squad with players who have displayed the most consistent body of work throughout the round-robin matches.

Wynne Gray's form NZ Super 15 team

15: Isaia Toeava
14: Joe Rokocoko
13: Jared Payne
12: Sonny Bill Williams
11: Zac Guilford
10: Daniel Carter
9: Jimmy Cowan
8: Kieran Read
7: Matt Todd
6: Jerome Kaino
5: Anthony Boric
4: Jarrad Hoeata
3: Owen Franks
2: Keven Mealamu
1: Wyatt Crockett