Anyway, another All Black side named, and despite many lamenting the fact that players have been dropped or not been given chances to form combinations and the like, once the reasons behind the selection were out, a pretty much 'steady as she goes' side named, with some new blood being introduced against the pretty average Italian side.

The All Black team - Mil Muliaina, Lelia Masaga, Isaia Toeava, Ma'a Nonu, Joe Rokocoko, Luke McAlister, Brendon Leonard, Kieran Read, Tanerau Latimer, Jerome Kaino, Ali Williams, Brad Thorn, John Afoa, Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett.  Reserves: Aled de Malmanche, Tony Woodcock, Owen Franks, Isaac Ross, George Whitelock, Piri Weepu, Cory Jane.

No Conrad Smith and Neemia Tialata - both carrying injuries from the second French test, which is bad news, as Tialata was just coming into form, and when you are carrying that much baggage around a rugby field, as much time on the track as you can handle is good for this guy, especially with the Tri Nations a ways off yet.  Smith with another booboo so gets a rest, which is good too.  We know that he and Nonu are a good combination, so this gives the Cartel another chance to see Nonu and Toeava, with Toeava seemingly being the next cab off the rank for 13 with Kahui gone for the season.

Corey Jane 'dropped', but not really, as the Cartel are giving Rokocoko every chance in the world to regain form, and want to see Masaga at test level.  So Jane, who has not really put a foot wrong in his two tests, sits in the pole position for the first Tri Nations test at the moment.  However, if Rokocoko looks like he's back into form, and Masaga carves up, making test rugby lok easy, you just never know what might happen.

Then there is the handy injury to Stephen Donald.  Handy, as it saves the Cartel answering the question "was he dropped, or rested" for Portly Luke McAlister?  I would think a one word answer would be "dropped'.  Donald gone, McAlister slides into the ten jersey, where I expect he will be playing for the Tri Nations, as even if he looses both his feet to frostbite in a horrible mountain climbing accident, he'll still have more poise and balance than Donald does when he kicks.  Sure, Portly is better in the 12 jersey than the 10, but either way he's the best option we have in New Zealand at the moment for first five.

Brendon Leonard gets thrown into the deep end, first game back from his hamstring injury (which he suffered in his second game back from injury for the Chiefs), and a test match.  He came back for the Chiefs in top for, if he can replicate that at test level, albeit 'just' against the Italians, then Cowan might find himself baggage boy for the Tri Nations, with Weepu benching, and Leonard starting.  While I say 'just the Italians, that is a little too disparaging, even for me.  Leaonard will be butting against the Spahetti's forward pack first and foremost, which is a pretty handy unit.  It's just their backs that make are lacking, they make players like Stpehen Donald look like Anndrew Mehrtens, Carlos Spencer and Dan Carter rolled into one mega rugby player. 

The forward pack sees Wyatt Crockett finally get his test jersey, starting at loosehead prop, beside veteran  Mealamu and John Afoa.  Tialata out injured, and Woodcock benched to give the big Cantab his first taste of test action.  Not a bad looking front row, although they have never played together before, and if there is one thing the Eyties can do, that is scrum, so a baptism by fire for Crockett. 

Ali Williams was meant to be starting this test, but has re inured his dodgy achilles or something, so will be on the physios table again, with Isaac Ross joining Brad Thorn in the second row, and Bryn Evans locking into the sub jersey again.  Would have probably been a good chance to start Evans, give him a soild go at test rugby, he's been fine in his two cameos so far, and deserving of a decent chance.  Bloody Ali though, seems to be taking his sabbatical early, as he's hardly strung two games together this season at all.  Perhaps that is why the Cartel are throwing Ross back into the fray, as Williams must be in doubt now for the Tri Nations, and the more test rugby Ross gets under his belt before then has got to be good for him.

The loose trio remains unchanged, Read, Latimer and Kaino.  Nice to see, as this combination is clearly the best we can field when So'oilao and McCaw are not available, and will only get better the more they play together.  Lets hope they don't back slide in this game, Read was awesome at number eight, despite the fears of most, if he carries on in that sort of form, he is the answer to the succession plan post So'oilao.

The bench sees two props, with Tialata not being available.  Specialist loosehead Woodcock is there along with tighthead specialist Owen Franks, who will join his brother in the All Black ranks, a season later, but the first to get a test cap.  Aled de Malmanche sits on the bench at hooker and hopefully will get his first cap after making it onto the field last week only to be turned around and trotted off again, that must have been frustrating to say the least for the big lad.  The remainder of the forward reserves are made up of rookies George Whitelock and Bryn Evans.

Thanks to the five forwards needed on the bench, there are only two places left for blouses, and those are filled by Weepu, covering halfback and first five, and Corey Jane, covering fullback and wing.  So a midfield injury would see Muliaina move into centre, and Toeava into second if Nonu is hurt, and a straight swap if Toeava is hurt.

What to read into this going into the Tri Nations and the first match against the Aussies on the 18th of July?  Well, frankly, bugger all, probably the only position open for debate is the halfback spot, all the rest will have been penned in already.

So what I think we will see trotted out for that first Tri Nations game...

Muliaina, Rokocoko, Smith, Nonu, Sivivatu, McAlister, Leonard, So'oilao, McCaw, Kaino, Thorn, Williams, Tialata, Hore, Woodcock.
Bench:  Mealamu, Afoa, Read, Ross, Weepu, Toeava, Jane.

Hopefully anyway, Toeava the lesser of two evils (Donald or Toeava, shudder), Hore will slot straight back into his number one ranking, despite Mealamu being in superb form, and Leonard will be too good this test to be left out (hopefully)!!