Rugby: NZ players don't make the grade

A joint Tri-Nations test team would contain mostly Australians and South Africans. WYNNE GRAY reports.

Assembling the best composite Tri-Nations test side shows an alarming lack of New Zealand contenders.

And it gets worse when only Christian Cullen and Tana Umaga qualify for the playing XV.

Even picking a second XV suggests problems, with only Andrew Mehrtens and Anton Oliver showing enough Super 12 pedigree to give them a starting place.

Just four New Zealanders earning a place among 30 players is a meagre return and an indication the All Blacks have some huge battles ahead of them this season once they get past the opening challenges from Tonga and Scotland.

With the Super 12 semifinalists sorted out and some disquiet after the weekend wipeout, All Black coach Wayne Smith said he was more concerned about individuals than any franchise failures.

But there are not a whole swag of individuals performing world-class deeds either.

Try to fit more New Zealanders into this Tri-Nations XV: Cullen, Umaga, Stirling Mortlock, Joe Roff, Tim Horan, Stephen Larkham, George Gregan, Toutai Kefu, Rassie Erasmus, Krynauw Otto, John Eales, Andre Venter, Cobus Visagie, Charles Marais, Os du Randt.

Or even the next-best XV: Chris Latham, Breyton Paulse, Daniel Herbert, Andrew Walker, Rod Kafer, Mehrtens, Sam Cordingley, Andre Vos, Hendrik Gerber, Jannes Labuschagne, Hottie Louw, Jim Williams, Robbie Kempson, Oliver, Ollie le Roux.

The Wallabies and Springboks would take an even split of 26 places, with their dominance delivered consistently in the Super 12 by the Brumbies and the Cats, who charged home to the final four, and the Stormers just outside.

Of the two New Zealand teams to qualify for the semifinals, the Crusaders have at least brought consistently even standards, though the Highlanders have been on the slide after a strong start.

After the weekend whitewash of all five New Zealand sides, Smith offered the do-not-panic theory. He and his panel had found sufficient solace in the previous rounds of Super 12 to put together a useful All Black squad.

It was healthy that a number of energetic, skilled players were pushing their claims and forcing the older brigade to increase their contributions.

Younger players who must be challenging are Doug Howlett, Mark Ranby, Ron Cribb, Troy Flavell, Koula Tukino and Greg Sommerville.

But those sort of candidates will not unsettle seasoned opponents such as the Springboks and Wallabies unless they play with the same sort of successful group fervour created (once) by the Baby Blacks.

It is obvious some All Black replacements are needed after the dismal results of the past two seasons. But nominating the vacancies and finding the right substitutes is no easy task.

Midfield remains a huge confusion, there are difficulties at blindside flanker, lock and prop, while the captaincy must still be a very blurred issue.

Those matters will have to be dealt with shortly as Smith looks for players to implement the demands of his never-say-die style when he names his first All Black squad after the Super 12 final.