The try nations

With the test series against the Lions in the bag, it's a simple matter of rubber-stamping the same 26 All Blacks for the Tri Nations. Isn't it?

We'll find out this morning for sure, but don't be surprised if there are a couple of new faces in the All Black squad, which could even be enlarged from the normal 26.

Coach Graham Henry's message has been consistent - New Zealand will not win a World Cup by playing the same 22 every week. Strength in depth, where there are two players of equal ability pushing for each position, is what he wants to build.

Pre-season it was deemed that the Lions series possibly wasn't the right time to work in some of the fringe players.

The Tri Nations, at least in the eyes of the coaching panel, affords an opportunity to rest senior players and mix and match experimental combinations - tinkering at the edges of a tried and trusted core.

It's a hazardous game predicting this coaching panel's every move. They have a capacity to surprise. No one outside the panel had Campbell Johnstone on their radar. Prior to the All Black trial Derren Witcombe wasn't widely fancied to be ahead of Andrew Hore and Corey Flynn. Nick Evans seemed a more likely starter last night at No 10, although no one can dispute Luke McAlister's ability.

There are probably about 22 players who featured against the Lions who are rock-solid certainties to be named today.

It's possible the other four - Ma'a Nonu, Johnstone, Witcombe and Jono Gibbes - will make way on the "away" leg of the Tri Nations. It's only possible, mind. Of those four, Nonu is perhaps the most likely to be left at home when the squad sets off for the away leg of the campaign, which begins in Cape Town on August 6 and then moves to Sydney a week later.

That will depend on whether the All Blacks choose to rest their skipper, Tana Umaga, as was predicated some time ago. However, if they do rest Umaga, it will probably not be for these two matches - the two hardest of the Tri Nations. The squad will also need to travel with cover for all those carrying semi-serious niggles, hence the possibility of an enlarged group. Luke McAlister will likely be kept on. Maybe at the expense of Nonu, or possibly in addition to.

It seems Nonu's only failing is to be too similar in style to Tana Umaga, which makes it hard for him to co-exist alongside the skipper.

"Tana Umaga is our first choice midfielder," said Henry. "We need to complement him. We believe 13 is his best position for this team. We need a playmaker inside him when he plays at centre, someone with a kicking game, an Aaron Mauger.

"When he plays at 12 we are looking for a distributor at 13, someone like Mils Muliaina or Conrad Smith who can bring the back three into the game.

"We are hoping he [Nonu] is the Tana Umaga of the future. He has presence and is one of the best line-breakers in the country. He needs experience at 13 and we can't buy that. We have to go through the process. He'll play for Wellington at 13 in the NPC."

Mose Tuiali'i, now recovered from injury may reclaim his place and nudge out Gibbes. And with Carl Hayman having bother with his toe and with Tony Woodcock having played a lot of football, Saimone Taumoepeau may also figure in an enlarged squad. Maybe Marty Holah will also be named should anything happen to Richie McCaw.

But one other thing Henry has made clear is that he will not indulge in rotation purely for the sake of it.

The skill in managing this Tri-Nations campaign will be about judging whose legs need to be rested and whose need a gallop.

The biggest lesson Henry, Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith absorbed last year was the physical toll test football inflicts. The natural attrition of consecutive tests against the Wallabies and Springboks will force their hand to an extent.

When the side get back to New Zealand, it becomes easier covering injuries. Players can be called in relatively easily - including Nonu. And maybe by then Joe Rokocoko will be deemed ready. His hunger for work has impressed Smith.

It will be a voyage of discovery for Henry and his team. And the findings of this voyage will be be stored away so, when the good ship All Black sets sail for France in 2007, it is armed with knowledge of how to navigate the toughest sea of all.

The Tri Nations

July 30: South Africa v Australia, Pretoria 1am

Aug 07: South Africa v New Zealand, Cape Town 1am

Aug 13: Australia v New Zealand, Sydney 10pm

Aug 20: Australia v South Africa, Perth 10pm

Aug 27: New Zealand v South Africa, Dunedin 7:35pm

Sep 03: New Zealand v Australia, Auckland 7:35pm

- HERALD ON SUNDAY