Wynne Gray: Midfield partners wait for chance

Conrad Smith (centre). Photo / Getty Images

Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith, the ebony and ivory in the All Blacks, are a midfield partnership which has prospered for their province, franchise and the test side. They suit up for a record 29th time tonight at Eden Park.

Skux and Snakey have produced some great stuff together and in individual plays. Remember shoeless Nonu slipping a tiring John Smit to set up Israel Dagg's test-clinching try last season in Johannesburg.

Nonu's power and serious footwork were always his weapons and in recent years he has added an occasional kicking touch, a superb passing game and an ability to retain the ball far better in the tackle.

Smith brings the organisation to go with his cluster of skills, instincts for plays, space and all the timing needed from a bloke who plays out in the open spaces. His defence is often underrated while the lawyer-in-waiting also has a handy touch of acceleration. They have become a concrete partnership with the All Blacks which has yet to be given a real shake by those like Richard Kahui or Sonny Bill Williams who are hunting their places.

Nonu began with the All Blacks in 2003 and Smith arrived a year later but it was not until the initial test in 2008 against Ireland that they started alongside each other.

The pair are set to be united for this year's event.

What other All Black partnerships spun your tyres in the past 40 years? There have been a fair few since the 60s.

The Hawkes Bay duo of Ian McRae and Bill Davis bashed and scythed their way across the test scene, McRae with the power and straight lines and Davis with more cut and finesse.

Bill Osborne and Bruce Robertson brought a similar partnership of power and elan, with Robertson the gifted, gliding runner who teased many defenders not quite on their game.

In the late 80s John Schuster skipped and skated off both pegs while Jolting Joe Stanley took the more direct approach to his work, mixed in with great offloads to his wings or trailing fullback.

Their alliance was distilled and reworked a shade more by Aaron Mauger and Tana Umaga in their pomp, a neat blend of all-purpose game with the brutality, offloads and defensive clout from Umaga.

Before them was the Walter Little and Frank Bunce alliance. It was one which had provincial foundations at North Harbour which held up just as prominently for the All Blacks. They were dazzling in the mid 90s when it was rare for the opposition to best them. Better than Snakey and Skux? Dunno, let's mull that over again after tonight.