Horses for Courses Selection Policy has More Depth

Apparently more than just the opposing team come into the calculations Graham Henry makes in selecting his team based on the horses for courses selection policy he has followed on this northern hemisphere tour. Henry has been up front is suggesting that he selects players on the basis of who will be playing against them, their own skill level vs the skills of the opposition player, and how they will go fronting up to the opposing player if selected. Now it also seems that the weather and the field also come into the equation.

Henry has suggested that the selection of Smith is not just about the skills that Smith has at centre, and how he shapes up against Welsh Captain Stephen Jones in that position, but has more to do with the expected wet weather at millenium stadium at the weekend. The player seems to relish wet conditions as they require a higher skill level from him, and doubtless he gets plenty of practise playing in atrocious conditions in his native Wellington. Nothing Wales could offer would be worse than the horizontal rain Wellington is famous for.

This sort of vision in selection is exactly what the All Blacks need heading into the World Cup. Doubtless if the campaign is unsuccessful the selection policy will be branded fool hardy, overly technical, and of course arrogant. However, if successful this kind of forward thinking selection policy taking into account as many factors as possible will become the standard across the game. This is a risk, this is an experiment, but so far the faith the fans have placed in Henry and his changes to the traditional All Blacks selection policies has been rewarded. It will be interesting to see how things go at the weekend, and on into next season.

Wales continue to talk themselves up for this weekend. Accrding to the talk, they will play an expansive and open game, their creativity in attack will try the All Black line, however there aren't many punters that would be backing them to win as much as they seem to be backing themselves. The selection of New Zealand born Sonny Parker at number 12 casts doubt on this as he is less of an attacking player than the brilliant but flaky Gavin Henson, and has more robust defence than Henson has shown at times. Be that as it may, if you are going to take on the All Blacks it has to start up front and the battle will be won in the forwards as usual. The backs getting good clean ball going forward will be crucial to the success of each back line against the other. Also, with the Welsh calling their lineouts in Welsh, it will be difficult for the All Blacks to figure out lineout calls. It should be a great clash this weekend.

Elsewhere Springbok coach Jake White has been 'invited' home after the second game against England this weekend and before the next game on tour against a world 15. This cannot be a good sign for White who was under pressure during the Tri-Nations and managed to squeak through with a win over the All Blacks and the Wallabies at the end of the series. He is fronting the president's council, and the discussion will focus on a vote of no confidence in him as coach by the Blue Bulls last week. Good luck Jake, your boys had better win this weekend or you will be outski.

The Wallabies take on a confident Scottish side looking for their first win over the Wallabies in 15 encoutners. Something tells me that the haggis brigade will be lucky to get away with a win, even with the Wallabies in such a state of disarray. The players that have been selected will want to press home their claims to positions the encumbents are clearly regarding as their own, no matter what they do. Knuckles would do well to bench some of the stars to get the hunger back to take the field, and win. This team is on a downward spiral and reports of conflict between coaching staff and captain (for this tour) do not paint a good picture 10 months out from the world cup. Knuckles may well be looking forward to the return of Gregan who will not be sorry that he sat out this disaster of a tour.

I've noticed that a lot of people are looking for the draw for the 2007 Super 14 season. Please click here to be taken to the draw for next season, and note that kick off is one week early this year to account for the RWC tournament. Click here for the draw. In addition, there will be a permanent link to this page on the left hand side of this blog so that you can come back and check it out whenever you want. Note that the relegation position of one team in South Africa has yet to be resolved in relation to this draw being posted.

Bring it on - this weekend is another cracker for international rugby! Final game of the tour for the ABs, and the end of most of the touring sides quality games. This site will focus on preseason news for super 14 and ongoing world rugby issues after the end of the tours. Enjoy and check back often.