All Blacks: The deputies

Daniel Carter. Photo / Getty Images

The All Blacks want a backup first five-eighths for Daniel Carter but are unlikely to choose a deputy flanker for captain Richie McCaw.

Coach Graham Henry believes the law changes mean an opensider has become a much more constructive rather than a destructive player. That had swayed the selectors' thoughts.

"Richie is world-class and has been able to adapt to that but I do not think you will be looking at the same player as his understudy, as you might have been looking at 12 months ago.

"I think there are those who can be a constructive continuity player as a backup to Richie so we may be looking at a different animal."

The demands on a first five-eighths had scarcely changed. "You still need a guy who can play bloody well in that position and run the ship and I think there is probably somebody who can do that," Henry said provocatively.

"Our challenge is to give that player and those sort of players an opportunity to play at international level so they can benefit from that experience and get better at playing the game.

"It is just getting the timing right and that is a challenge.

"In the past when we tried to do that we got criticised for that.

"I think really we have just got to have the balls to play some players who have lesser experience at test level than some of the other guys.

"Our biggest fear is that the No 1 player in a particular position falls over and can't play in the Rugby World Cup in 18 months' time and the No 2 or 3 in that position has had no experience at all."