Embarrassment of riches at No. 10 for All Blacks

Sorry,meant a more complete game than Barrett and Cruden,not Carter.

We have it ... Barrett to run on, with Slade on the bench! The AB team is : Ben Smith, Charles Piutau, Conrad Smith, Sonny Bill Williams, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (c), Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Owen Franks, Dane Coles, Wyatt Crockett. Reserves: Keven Mealamu, Joe Moody, Charlie Faumuina, Patrick Tuipulotu, Liam Messam, TJ Perenara, Colin Slade, Ryan Crotty.

Apologies Paul, I misunderstood your post then. Hansen knows Carter better than most... what he wants is for Dan Carter to get his 'mojo' back... if that happens we would only be talking about who backs up Carter ... biased opinion I know.. but I believe that. Even Stuart Barnes commentating in NZ during the RWC in 2011 said without Carter, NZ could not win the RWC. The point of this is merely to show how highly thought of is Dan Carter... Barnes is not a sympathiser of NZ Rugby (a bit like Stephen Jones)

Oh boy... Handre Pollard the 20 year old, a talent for sure but his game some way of being perfected. Many would be aware of me pushing Pollard's barrow since the U20 tournament this year ... ... but more complete game at this stage than Carter who happens to hold the record for points in a test, who happens to be acknowledged by his peers as being possibly the greatest flyhalf to have played the game over 12 years .... nope richard, cannot agree that. How many commanding games has Pollard played in tests at this stage of his career ... I recall one, at Ellis Park this year. Lambie, yep, good player but has been knocking on the door to be a regular in the Bok side but hardly a more complete game. Perhaps you should seek the opinions of expert SA fans who contribute on this site...

All good players,but frankly nowhere near as good as you like to think. Give me Handrie Pollard and Lambie the saffas,they have a more complete game than the group you mentioned.

"Hansen does not need to know what Carter can do when right …. with the so called “A” team or others". You are correct. What I was trying to infer is that playing with the A team would be a better gauge on how far off his form really is. Anyway, I can't wait to find out who Hansen will pick.

"... needs is game time, he has been good enough to adapt" . . .. sorry too much of the brown stuff out of a bottle!

I know what you mean but Slade must be in for selection for RWC 2015 too and he will also need game time. These guys are going to keep u in suspense for while longer ...

ABOS, hard to argue with that... he was there solely as cover to replace DC when he was done..

Paul, there are few bigger fans than me with Carter when he is wearing black (don't like him too much in Crusaders colours but I am from Blues territory), but against Scotland he was average bordering on being 'garbage'. There maybe some mitigating circumstances to that with the scrum half and No 12 inexperienced also playing average but DC on song 'controls games and controls the backline' ... he was a long way from that last Saturday. I think S15 and maybe a couple of the remaining 5 tests before RWC will be enough as long as there is reasonable continuity. Playing against Wales on Saturday then off for a couple of months losing any momentum will not enhance his chances of selection. At least that is my opinion Hansen does not need to know what Carter can do when right .... with the so called "A" team or others and I am sure that Hansen will give him all the opportunities he is able to.. He has runs on the board and he was very, very good late in S15 this year. We shall see

I enjoyed that finish Wardad, I had copped a bit from the. wallaby fans around me for the whole game leading up to that point!

You are right Kz250, he is not ready at the moment. What DC is game time, he is been good enough to adapt. Slade is really the incumbent for Crusaders at No 10 so Blackadder will probably go with him with most matches unless Shag can convince him to rotate the two.. If DC can get a few of games at No 10 and a few more at 12 that should give him the chance to prove whether or not he is up to it because I believe Hansen might give him at least 2 or 3 starts which is all we could expect. If he suffers another injury, then its good night .... I'd be very disappointed for him but obviously it would be fate playing its hand. We don't want the Cruden, Barrett or Slade under done either so they will need some games. Sure there will be a couple of soft games in the pool matches but there just 'ain't a lot of time' left.

I guess we will know tomorrow and I am sure what ever the combination lets hope they get the job done

After watching him up close at the Brissie test Slade would do just fine ,dude must have ice in his veins .

Could easily be Barrett starting with Slade on the bench.

With Taylor and West knocking on the door...

I know people say Slade did well, but I beg to differ. You could see how much he actually did on the wing when you compare what Savea did when he came out. I'd say he was pretty much absent on the wing and therefore couldn't have made any mistake. He did alright as a sub for Carter as a 10, but didn't do anymore than slightly better than a pass. The problem I have with him is that what you saw against Scotland may not be what he is able to do during the biggest of matches. His performance in the last world cup may still be with him and I'm afraid he may not have exorcised that ghost. I doubt Hansen would have changed his mind regarding him as a 4th choice 10 with those 20 mins against the Scots.

I don't know who will start at 10 this weekend. But I reckon Carter will be in the 23. This is the last test match and Hansen would like to see what Carter can do with the A team, ie Smith at half back and SBW on the outside. There are only 5 or 6 test matches before the world cup and Carter will be given as many opportunities as they can afford. Also I didn't think he played that badly, not good enough to start perhaps, but certainly good enough to be in the 23.Also with McCaw's 100th appearance as captain, there is just that little bit of sentiment to have them together if Hansen deems him to be fit enough.

Oh please Richard. Nobody on earth has as much depth at 10 as NZ. SA are close I guess but Barrett, Slade, Cruden and Carter are all top quality.

Exactly who did Slade impress on the wing? I must say, I thought hed be worse but he wasnt good.