Lee Stensness: First-five depth still a doubt

Luke McAlister's irregular heartbeat, which forced him to miss training earlier this week, must have sent heart flutters through the All Black coaches and selectors. While McAlister's condition is apparently manageable and not career-threatening, it did highlight that, Daniel Carter notwithstanding, there is a fragility about the depth at first-five as we look towards the World Cup next year.

There is depth if all players are available; Carter and McAlister are two world-class options, and in Nick Evans there is potential to reach that level also.

But the susceptibility of those players to injury is where concerns about depth become a reality. Last season Carter broke his leg which gave McAlister his chance versus the Lions, and then McAlister was invalided out of the end-of-year tour, for the second year running, giving Evans his chance.

This year McAlister missed much of the beginning of the Super 14, while Evans suffered a serious shoulder injury in the middle stages of that competition and is still out, which has led to the next cab off the rank, David Hill, being given his chance.

There seems to be a pattern that, as one first-five gets injured, another takes his chance but then gets injured and so it goes on.

Hopefully not, because after Hill - who may still go overseas at the end of this season - the remaining first-fives in this country might be ready for the 2011 World Cup but are probably not at the required level for 2007.

It seems highly unlikely that all three of Carter, McAlister and Evans would be injured at once, touch wood.

However it does seem possible that two of the three could be, particularly given the injury histories of McAlister and Evans, which may be one of the reasons Hill has been included in this current All Black squad rather than resorting to utility players such as Aaron Mauger and Leon MacDonald to provide back-up.

Apart from injury, another complicating factor within the first-five mix is the possibility that McAlister may see his future as a second-five.

He may feel that his best chance of becoming a first choice during the World Cup is at 12, not 10, and thus express a desire to play there for the Blues in 2007.

It would be a shame if that were to happen. I believe his best position is first-five and, for the balance of both the All Black and Blues, he is better utilised as a 10 that can play 12 rather than the other way around.

First-five is a much more difficult, and interesting position than second-five and it is easier to move out a position than it is to move in.

Also, a player needs to play regularly at 10 to get a handle on it, especially at test level.