They need to rediscover the nuances of team play, the nuggets of interaction which kick in when sides are under the pump. These guys need to know how their comrades will react under the blowtorch, what angles they run, how they hit breakdowns, where they like the pig's bladder in the lineout.
Twenty years ago when you graduated to coach Auckland, you spoke about the "edge" teams needed and how you had to make hard decisions about players - men of serious pedigree like Alan Whetton, Steve McDowell, Bernie McCahill and Terry Wright - who had to be culled.
Sometimes you got emissaries to do that work, but the decisions were made.
It's time for those sorts of judgments again. Do it now, don't start with a blend of the best and other contenders.
You have to cut most of these guys plenty of slack, they have had ample time to impress and you, Shag and Smithy have had another four-year term to nail your selections. Too much theory can cloud the tasks and we've already seen that with the exclusion of Hosea Gear from this squad.
Do us a favour, put away all the hypothesis, shed all the theory, forget what players have done in the past for the All Blacks. The tournament is a now event. Pick who is in form and run them for the rest of the event.
There will be issues with that because there are loose forward injuries and if Kieran Read and Adam Thomson are still incapacitated, you have to use the remaining trio.
Lock is a bit more complicated because they all have mixed form, while Tony Woodcock has battled his foot complaint, but if he is the best prop, he needs to churn out full games to show he can hack it.
Some players were chosen to absorb the potential battering from Tonga and that worked.
But the All Blacks now are three games away from a quarter-final, with one serious hurdle against France.
Japan this week and Canada in the final pool game will deliver a variety of challenges, nothing fatal, however they offer match practice which the All Blacks lack as a collective unit.
Ted: you and Shag and Smithy need to get that top side out on the track and keep them there for at least an hour on Friday.
They all write "rugby player" in the occupation space on their tax returns, this is how they earn their corn - but at the moment too many of the top men are part-time productions.
Yours in oval sincerity, WG
PS: I enclose the top XV and reserves.
Wynne Gray's All Blacks
15 Israel Dagg
14 Richard Kahui
13 Conrad Smith
12 Ma'a Nonu
11 Cory Jane
10 Daniel Carter
9 Piri Weepu
8 Victor Vito
7 Richie McCaw (c)
6 Jerome Kaino
5 Brad Thorn
4 Sam Whitelock
3 Owen Franks
2 Keven Mealamu
1 Tony Woodcock
Reserves:
Isaia Toeava, Sonny Bill Williams, Jimmy Cowan, Anthony Boric, Ali Williams, Ben Franks, Andrew Hore.
