Wynne Gray: Golden oldies need to polish up modest form

New Zealand All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, Daniel Carter, Kieran Read and Conrad Smith. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Old or gold? This is it for the All Blacks, the start of the real World Cup where a continuation of their modest form will not deliver another trophy. It's a test for the coaches' belief in their ageing group where more half-game misfires will have a serious impact on the All Blacks' progress.

They are a team who have created an extraordinary level of success under the guidance of coach Steve Hansen and his cohorts although that evidence has not glistened this year.

A gritty away win against the Springboks and a more throaty Eden Park victory to retain the Bledisloe Cup against the Wallabies came before the mixed form at this tournament.

The team for tomorrow's sudden-death clash with France, apart from the injury absence of Tony Woodcock, were the same group who started the tournament against the Pumas.

In the interim, hectares of print and kazillions of online posts have been dedicated to the possible permutations and competition for playoff starting roles in the All Blacks.

The selectors have stayed with their tried and trusted crew, men such as Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Daniel Carter, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino and Owen Franks - a group with 665 caps between them and a history of success.

All those glittering feats are history, past tense, days to be revered and retold on other occasions. All that matters now are three World Cup wins starting against France when those celebrated All Blacks need to lift their game and drag their teammates with them.

Matches at this World Cup have slowed with injury, referee and TMO intrusions which a few of the older All Blacks may appreciate but do not suit the team's expressive intent.

Age does not determine players' influence. Experience gives them an ability to deal better with pressure and react strongly. However, McCaw, Carter and Smith are not as athletically sharp as they were a decade ago. We don't know if that will happen as we have listened to suggestions players can't sustain high-level performances in successive weeks.

If the All Blacks win this tournament with an intact side, Ben Smith, Conrad Smith, Carter, Read, Sam Whitelock and Dane Coles will have to play five successive tests while Kaino will start all seven.

That's all getting ahead of ourselves, which is a trap the All Blacks cannot afford, certainly not after France arranged their own team talk when they supposedly fired their coach.