High anxiety on the cards if we were facing Welsh woes

George North comforts fellow Welsh player Leigh Halfpenny after exiting the 2011 World Cup. Photo / Doug Sherring

Imagine the anxiety levels if Ben and Aaron Smith fell over at All Blacks training next week. Worse than that, they both got the verdict that they would not recover during the World Cup.

Concern inside the camp would ping off the register while media outlets would fuel the public worry beads.

It's a dramatic outcome Wales have dealt with this week after losing champion fullback and goalkicker Leigh Halfpenny along with halfback Rhys Webb who is several steps ahead of any rivals with his skills package.

Before that action starts and even with a full-strength squad, there were many who doubted Wales' ability to escape their tough pool where they get their only respite in their opening match against Uruguay before they launch into contests against England, Fiji and then the Wallabies.

However, losing their two premier backs is huge. It would go even deeper with the All Blacks.

No halfback other than Smith or Waikato's Brad Weber brings the athletic stamina and passing speed they have demonstrated. It would be a huge punt, though, for the selectors to pick Weber ahead of the experienced standby Andy Ellis as a replacement and start him ahead of the other two original halfbacks.

They bring strong cover but we would not be getting a fair swap where TJ Perenara is more physical but without the same passing consistency and game sense while Tawera Kerr-Barlow is returning from his busted knee.

Out the back, a hypothetical injury defection would open up a replacement fullback choice between deposed specialist Israel Dagg or the multi-purpose, multi-talented Charles Piutau.

Maybe the All Blacks panel has another backup plan.

Perhaps they would use Beauden Barrett or Colin Slade as their fullback and get on the blower to Cory Jane for more help in the back three or whistle up Lima Sopoaga to reinforce the five-eighths cover. They're things for us to mull over while the selectors will have plans for those sort of mishaps and up-to-date information on likely replacements.