KEY POINTS:
The All Black selectors have named their team for the Romania game and despite calls to see the best XV out before the quarter-finals, it hasn't turned out that way.
New Zealand, like South Africa, knows it's already through as top pool qualifier so it's fair enough that Graham Henry has picked a mixed team.
It's hard for me to make a comparison from past World Cup experiences as to whether that is right or wrong, as pool play was stronger when I was involved with the All Blacks and we had to pick our full strength team as there weren't the smaller nations as there is now.
Henry has said he wants to give all 30 squad players a run before the quarters which is good. If someone like Australia lost one of its top players there would be desperate trouble but that's not the case for the All Blacks.
There's still challenges to be had and for players to put their hands up for further selection but I'd suggest that, by and large, the preferred line-up has already been settled on.
Aaron Mauger and Isaia Toeava are finally paired together in the midfield but they'd have to be absolutely outstanding I think to get a look in for the quarters.
I think the selectors made their minds up a long time ago on their favoured pairing. A lot of people think Mauger controls the backline better but it looks like the flair of Luke McAlister is preferred.
One thing about the Romanian game is that it's a big one for Keith Robinson.
It'll be a mind thing with him; he knows he has to go well to get a look in for the rest of the tournament so that's going to drive him. I think he's the sort of guy that is bloody hard at the best of times so I'd say he'll be bloody hard in the worst of times as well.
On another note, what the hell are the World Cup officials trying to prove with not having the match balls allowed for training up to this stage?
It's like going out in a racing car and having a completely different engine. It's one of the most silliest damn things I've ever heard of.
You could see in the Scotland game that even though Daniel Carter's kicks normally drifted one way, sometimes they drifted the other way and he missed five out of nine kicks as a result
It's a concern as World Cups historically are won on penalties so it could be the winning and losing of a game if this isn't sorted out.
