Happy to see Rene Ranger in the team and still think he might be best on the right wing. Cory Jane deserves a start at fullback if that’s the case but it will be interesting to see how Mills Muliaina goes. I would like to see Piri Weepu get a start also. Hosea Gear would have to consider himself unlucky but talk about depth on the left wing.Has anyone else thought of Victor Vito at number 8? I'm not sure if he has played there before but has the physical presence. Think the selectors have gone with Liam Messam to cover 8 but think Vito could do the job. Perhaps would have retained Thomson over Messam and had Vito cover 8. Jury still out on Ben Franks but otherwise looks good.
I can’t help but think these are tactical moves by Graham Henry. Perhaps he wants Hosea Gear, Adam Thomson and Zac Guilford to fight hard for their positions in the team because he has a tendency to do this i.e. how bad do they want it? Are they willing to do whatever it takes? The All Blacks are the only team in the world that can afford to do this, however.
