KEY POINTS:
AIX-EN PROVENCE - All Blacks coach Graham Henry has deliberately not named his top team to face Scotland this weekend because he's keen to keep hunger at fever pitch for rugby World Cup places.
Henry said about three-quarters of the players announced to start at Edinburgh were what
he regarded as his premium lineup but conjecture still surrounds about four positions which won't be finalised until the quarterfinals in two weeks.
Henry was at his cagey best today and wouldn't single out positions but it seems winger, fullback/centre and hooker remain in need of clarification via form against Scotland on Monday morning (NZ time) and the final pool match against Romania six days later.
"The team that's been selected is not necessarily the top 15, I don't think we should read too much into the selection in that regard," he said.
"We've got an open mind on that, there's a lot of players competing for positions and that's great.
"We want to keep that feeling going, we don't want to cut that off and select what we might believe is the top 15 right now."
Henry said "70 to 75 per cent" of the team was settled in his mind.
At least two of Monday's team - returning lock Reuben Thorne and flanker Chris Masoe - have been included to provide breaks for Chris Jack and Jerry Collins respectively, although Jack is on the bench.
It leaves lock Ali Williams as the only player to start all three pool matches, a result of the on-going injury to Keith Robinson.
The most curious non-selection is that of hooker Keven Mealamu, the first-choice rake in the eyes of many yet.
Anton Oliver will wear the No 2 jersey on Monday, with Andrew Hore on the bench.
Last week Mealamu was reserve bench cover for the loose forwards against Portugal because Henry said he was in need of rugby. Yet he was given just 16 minutes off the bench to follow his 52 minutes against Italy.
Assistant coach Steve Hansen's explanation was that work at the forward coal face needed to be spread around, with Hore's 64 minutes against Portugal not deemed enough.
"We're trying to get as many minutes of rugby into our tight five as possible," Hansen said.
"Hence when we had five of them on the park at the end of the Portugal game. We think Andrew needs some more time and Kevvy's played plenty of footy."
Only once this year has Henry named what he called his strongest side, for the final Tri-Nations test against Australia two months ago, when the Bledisloe Cup was up for grabs.
The team that faced Italy in their first tournament hitout two weeks ago at Marseille was described as "close" to the strongest, as was this week's lineup, which features four changes from the starters against Italy.
One of them is Masoe, with Hansen sure the regular openside backup could play in a similar manner to Wellington teammate Collins.
"Chris can carry and he's a fetcher as well," Hansen said.
"He'll take up the role that's been asked of him with Jerry leaving the trio. He'll come in and be the ball-runner."
Conrad Smith remains at centre for a second week and at last gets to link with second five-eighth Luke McAlister. Injuries to Smith means they haven't played together since their successful partnership on last November's tour of Europe.
Smith's role could yet be challenged by injured fullback Mils Muliaina, who is out this week with a hamstring strain but remains a viable centre option and would allow the in-form Leon MacDonald to stay at fullback.
Winger remains a three-horse race, the coaches insist, although Doug Howlett and Sitiveni Sivivatu still appear to have the inside running on Joe Rokocoko.
Henry said he had considered naming his very strongest side for a tough Scottish challenge but decided it was best to continue with his trademark rotation methods for at least another couple of weeks.
"There's still time for guys to put their hand up to be included in the top 15 who may not have been included in the Tri-Nations, say in the final test in Auckland."
Meanwhile, there was a surprise figure watching on at All Blacks training this morning.
Former halfback Justin Marshall, who is now playing for Welsh club Ospreys, was being followed by a British television crew.
He described his emotion at watching many of his former teammates prepare.
"I feel like an outsider," he said.
- NZPA
