Should the All Blacks feel worried?

Liam, to be honest, I was just trying to bring a sense of balance, the Author copped a lot of flack for his article, and it seemed to me some guys were a bit to OTT. We all know the all Blacks always lift their game when teams come closer, that is a given. So no need for being too sensitive about his questioning it. At the end of the day, it is only opinion isn't it?

they'll bow out one by one Ben, its the way it works. or certainly not all at once. the replacements may not have lots of games but they will have confidence to burn which counts for a lot.

biltong, imagine the article written if the shoe was on the other foot and you can see how it could almost be perceived as trolling. can't you? silly debate really, no-one questioning that both sides can improve and everyone seems to be looking forward to the next couple of years, it's just the slant of the article would obviously rile some people.

yeah whats with this hate. hate? it's just a game fella. take the highs and lows, enjoy the challenges and the big games, but have some perspective.

im pretty sure campese has more tries, and shane williams too. they're both in the 60's arent they? AND that japanese rocket is it Ohata?

and i never even mentioned the saveas!

completely agree, to say they can't improve is nonsensical. messam can and will certainly get better in the way that kaino grew into his role, ditto the locks, look how young they all are! then we have the guys coming through at 7 like Cane to replace McCaw eventually, to say nothing of the flyhalf options who are both in cruden and barret class acts that will also improve... carter didnt magically appear fully formed in his first tests. there's a bunch of young props, there's ben smith, ellison, kahui waiting to join the backline, when nonu goes, there are guys like fruean who are on the stage with ability but inconsistent, surprise surprise just like nonu was when he was entering the scene. the depth of young scrumhalves is ridiculous in the coming years if they stay injury free. you seem to forget that former first stringers like cowan didnt immediately retire... they were overtaken by the youngsters on form. the springboks will age, improve etc for sure, as will the wallabies with their new caps from this hard year for them, but you'd be a fool to look at the younger players in NZ and say they don't have the chance to do the same.

Help !! Can anybody explain the ruck penalties in the last game. The ball seemed out of the ruck in the very first penalty against Hore. Ditto for the penalty that Dagg was sent off for. When is the ball out of the ruck? When it is out, can anybody play at it? In both cases, the players were involved in the tackle and the ensuing ruck and went after the ball from that position. I had to watch these incidences a number of times in slow motion before coming to my opinions, so I can forgive the ref, although it suggests that he was biased towards the attacking side.

You don't get Test hardened by not playing, and just by being around a successful squad. It's a reasonably big 'if', but if those senior players bow out at the same time, then their replacements will likely have not got a massive amount of game time. Woodcock is 31, Hore 34, Mealamu 33, Williams 31, McCaw 31, Carter 30, Nonu 30, Conrad Smith 30. This is the spine of the team, and I can't see them all making the next WC, sabbaticals or no sabbaticals. So Hansen either needs to give some serious game time to their replacements or hope they don't all bow out at once. IMO the ideal situation is McCaw taking that time off, which allows Sam Cane to garner experience, but even then there is nothing to suggest the next NZ WC side won't be very inexperienced - especially with the extended SH season. With England, Wales, SA and Australia fielding younger sides the next few seasons will be of huge significance to Hansen.

Morning dcnz Last I heard Burger is out for the year, he had a baby this year and is enjoying things at home, I personally think this os good for him and will extend his career, getting away from rugby for a year could only do him the world of good. Brussow is out for another 6 months, he just came back from injury and got injured againlast weekend. Frans Steyn apparently has fragments in his ankle that needs to be removed, from reports it has been bugging him for some time, he will have an operation and be out for the end of year tour. As far as our backline is concerned, there are a few options. I would have said keep JP Pietersen at 14, but he has done really well at 13, there are a lot of people back home believing Raymond Rhule although only 19 should be called up to the bok squad. He has been tearing the Currie Cup teams a new one n most games, scored 8 scintilating tries so far in 9 games. So the big question is who would be best at 12, 13, and 15? You could have Frans at 12 and JP Pietersen at 13 with Lambie at 15 or you could have Lambie at 12, JP at 13 and Frans at 15. I guess it depends whether you want a midfield that has a big powerful 12 and a playmaker at 15 or the other way round. Taute has played 15 and 13 as well, so once again it opens up other possiblities, I see him perhaps the more balanced player of the three, He isn't as big as Frans but powerful, he has the same big boot as frans, but more of a playmaker as Lambie. So when you start looking at midfield and fullback, for now I would think it is between, Lambie, Frans, Taute and JP. Unless you keep JP at 14 and then do Frans at 12, Taute at 13 and LAmbie at 15, or Lambie at 12, Taute at 13, and Frans at 15. But then there are the two JWC centers in Paul Jordaan who has done really well for the Sharks at 13 and 14, and also Jan Serfontein the player of the tournament in the JWC, but then he hasn't shone in the CC. Sorry this must seem confusing and indecisive, but those players must be tested and see which are the best combinations. Then at wing you could have Habana, Hougaard (still not sure his best position), Rhule, Jordaan and don't forget Willie le Roux, he has done wonders at 15 for the Griquas in the currie cup and played very well for the Cheetahs in the Super 15. Meyer has his work cut out for him to decide which players will be best suited for which position, we haven't had so many versatile players for a long time. our biggest concern should be half back, I honestly don't know who is best. If you look at a future Bok backline there are a number of players who could play a few positions and then the halfbacks need to be sorted. Sarel Pretorius - halfback (not sure he controls the game well though) Charl Mcleod - halfback (I like him, but it seems few rate him in SA) Michael Bondision - (he made a very good partnership with Jantjies for the Lions) Johan Goosen - Flyhalf ( still needs experience) Elton Jantjies - Flyhalf ( very good distributor) Lambie - Flyhalf, Centre, Fullback - (where does he have the most influence) JP Pietersen - Centre, wing (he will be good anywhere) Frans Steyn - Centre, Fullback - ( solid at the back, strong in midfield) Jan Serfontein - Centre (still need to convince though) Paul Jordaan - Centre, wing (good in both positions) Bryan Habana - Wing (he seems to do well either side) Raymond Rhule - wing (strong, fast, good finisher) Jaco Taute - Centre, fullback (not sure where he can be best utilised) Willie le Roux - Fullback, wing (for Griquas he is often used as first reciever) Francois Hougaard - Wing, Halfback (don't know where he would be best, perhaps as an impact player) these are the guys I would like to see be part of the group for the next few years, they are mostly under 22 years of age, they are all exciting and wants to play ball in hand rugby and this is what excites me about them. Juan de Jongh in my opinion is not very strong on defence and doesn't pass. Oh Paul Jordaan is the guy that played so well against the Reds in the play off for the Sharks.

Dan Carter posted that photo of him and some other ABs having dinner with Berrick on Twitter. ANZAC tradition guys!

biltongbek, when o when is burger and broussow back, and whats the injury situ with Frans Steyn. And who do you think should replace JDV? once u get a cracking backline that can run....and what are your views on JDJ and Jantjies? thank you. oh, and who is this guy Jordaan? thanks.

Really ?? but the two best teams played ??? lol Aus and SA to close to call very similar in evolution areas (new demographic, players trying new things etc) ABs settled and adjust to the game on its merits i believe this is our main problem that we use a game-plan that does not evolve as required both SA and Aus are guilty of that. hats of though the other week though "blasted the wallabies at Pretoria" Would a been a better game if we had the same pack as when we played the Pumas the following week as i reckon we could of been close or even gained parity but even with Hooper having a gem the rest of the pigges where not having much of an impact saffa piggies dominated. peace

A quote from Ma'a Nonu buried in the bottom of a NZ news article today: "Expectations are always high, but it's ironic, because we play a side and maybe we pile on the points and people say, ‘no, the opposition needs to get better', and we play a test match where we don't actually pile on the points and they say, ‘well, you're not meeting our expectations'. People tend to forget it's a test match." He's right - can't win, can they?

If the current ABs team manages to get past the Wallabies next week and then go on to remain undefeated on the European EoY tour, it will create a nice dynasty for all the new and younger ABs joining the squad in the next few years. This type of legacy creates an environment of excellence, with everyone keen to ensure they are not responsible for the team's first loss. It's the type of self-perpetuating legacy which motivated the great Auckland NPC side which holds the record of 61 defences of the Ranfurly Shield from 1985 to 1993.

Im trying not to get carried on future proofing. I think? Just trying to answer the question on can we get better, or do we somehow go backwards, and the boks improve. Which in my mind doesnt make sense. Why cant the AB's get better. We have had a few new players added the team, and we have a few young players added as well and some up and coming players coming through the ranks. With a balanced approach I cant see why this team cant get better. Play for the now, which is what they are doing and blood new players when and where they can, So when they are needed they have the required experience and nous. Its a win win for the AB's. But I think OZ can get better, England are a dark horse for me and so are the French. If I was the Boks, I would be more worried about these teams then NZ.

I agree that at least part of the coaches thoughts should plan for the future, but I think at times we can get carried away. Today, the next test, right now is important. International rugby rugby isn't a development competition. Look at Aaron Smith, his development was at super rugby level, now firm No 1 halfback in NZ. This is a special time in NZ rugby, this era will be remembered as maybe the best in the pro era, this what we built for. Time to reap the success. If we are worried now, we will never be happy!

Yeah, I'm the pretender, go figure.

I can see Woodcock, Hore, Mealamu, McCaw, Carter and Smith all going in the next two seasons which will be a huge loss. I think this side is heading for a record victory peak and then will slowly drop games season by season. I don't see SA as being their main challengers, however. The Boks look very average under Meyer.

Swapacrate and Indio - you hit the nail on the head! Why are some trying to water down the All Blacks victory and achievements and why do we have to be subjected to commentary laced by what-ifs? People like Biltongbek pretends to be unbiased, balanced and complementary to the All Blacks but in actual fact the way in which the language of his posts are couched, he is none of the above. Comments like a legitimate question, and I will remember come 2013 ... proves it. Another one-eyed Bok supporter It can only be envy unfortunately - and I mean that in the nicest way possible. It's almost as though ABs supporters must feel aggrieved by what their team has achieved. Darn it, give the ABs the respect they deserve guys. Maybe it is time to quit the debate and for everyone to pull out the statistics and realise that these give credence to the All Blacks' standing as the no. 1 team on the planet. The succession debate is nothing new; now we have to sit through the drivel again. Oh yes, it is never 100% certain that new players will just fit in and be a success (see how many penalty points Goosen has missed already?), but we just can't sit here as fans wondering where the next Carter is going to come from, the next McCaw, Whitelock, etc. Look who followed up guys like Rockocoko, Sivivatu, Mehrtens, Doug Howlett - do we have to go out of our way to blunt the ABs edge they have on the other rugby-playing nations by worrying about succession debates? Let the structures sort that out! Like in young tykes like Etzebeth, Goosen, Taute for the Boks. Oh yes someone mentioned one Matt Todd to follow up McCaw - SPOT ON!