World Cup squad still unpickable

All Blacks player Charlie Ngatai with the reserves during the match between the All Blacks and Manu Samoa. Photo / Dean Purcell.

Anyone who reckons they can name the 31 players the All Blacks are going to take to the World Cup is kidding themselves.

They might guess it by luck but not because they have been able to analyse the selections for the first four tests of the year and make accurate conclusions.

The team named this morning to play Australia created as much doubt as it provided certainty. What's becoming clear is that there is a stronger picture forming in the forwards than there is the backs.

If the World Cup final were next week, the selectors would have a good idea as to who they would name in the pack. Tony Woodcock, Dane Coles and Owen Franks is - by a distance - their preferred starting front-row. Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw and Kieran Read are the preferred loose trio. Brodie Retallick is the number one lock - but surprisingly, there isn't yet clarity as to whom the selectors see as his preferred partner.

Sam Whitelock again finds himself on the bench.

It's possibly because the selectors need to see more of Luke Romano, Jeremy Thrush and James Broadhurst to determine which one isn't going to make it to England.

But perhaps it's not that: perhaps Whitelock hasn't impressed in his outings so far and is under pressure to hold his starting place.

It's not been typical during the Hansen era to be left in the dark but the usually unambiguous, straight-shooting coach has been reluctant to give any clues as to his thinking in regard to pecking orders and who may be in jeopardy of not making the World Cup.

Based on performances so far and the Sydney selection, Codie Taylor is firming as the third hooker. One more good outing off the bench and he'll be hard to leave out.

But the situation in the backs is not anywhere near as obvious.

After making an impressive debut, Lima Sopoaga has dropped out of the 23. Colin Slade, the golden child of November last year, has barely been sighted and Israel Dagg, having delivered a mixed bag at Ellis Park, is another to disappear from the match day squad this time around.

The versatility within the group creates enormous possibilities and leaves anything up to six players vulnerable to not making the final cut when it comes at the end of the month.

All four first-fives - Dan Carter, Sopoaga, Slade and Beauden Barrett - could still make it, which would see casualties in the midfield and outside backs.

So realistically Dagg, Charles Piutau, Cory Jane, Sopoaga, Slade, Ryan Crotty, Malakai Fekitoa and Nehe Milner-Skudder are vulnerable. As many as four of them could miss out.

Hansen hasn't dropped so much as a hint and his selections so far have reflected only a desire to give everyone a chance.