If there is one big question mark hanging over the All Blacks World Cup squad, it is whether or not the injured players can recover in time to hold of the desperate advances of those players thrown a lifeline.
With Toeava, Gear, Kahui, Dagg and Woodcock initially named in the squad being unavailable through injury, it has opened the door for last ditch attempts by the likes of Sivivatu, Smith, Jane and Crockett.
Sivivatu was a prime example of future decisions that will be faced by Henry and co.
Last night he was outstanding; he took his opportunity to show the All Black coaches that he could lift his intensity and prove he was still one of the top wingers in New Zealand. His experience is already a huge bonus on his side.
That kind of performance will have guys like Cory Jane and Israel Dagg sweating over there untimely injuries.
With Ben Smith and Colin Slade both getting game time already and both being able to cover multiple positions including fullback, Dagg and Jane will have their work cut out to recover from injury and force their way back to the top of the pecking order. Toeava is in the same boat.
If there is one silver lining from all of this, it is that the All Blacks certainly do have a wealth of depth to choose from, although this does not make the coaches job any easier.
Do they risk giving game time to players returning from injury, hoping they will recover top form in time for the crunch games of 2011? Or do they reward players on form, who are fit and raring to go?
These are questions I’m sure the coaches have been mulling over for weeks now.
If i were an injured All Black, I would be doing everything in my powers to get back onto the paddock before someone else makes their statement to hard to ignore.
In my opinion, I think Cory Jane will become the first to rue an untimely injury, he has let Sivivatu get the first shot at redemption and there is no guarantee Jane will be given the same chance, Sivivatu may have just earned a starting jumper for the first Tri-Nations Test next week, and with Guilddford and possibly Gear in the mix next week, Jane’s chances of redemption may have slipped him by.
My pecking order for the All Blacks outside backs:
– Muliaina
– Sivivatu
– Gear
– Toeava
– Ben Smith
– Zac Guildford
– Israel Dagg
– Cory Jane.
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