Richie McCaw will lead the All Blacks north fresh from their latest Tri-Nations triumph © Getty Images

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Features: McKenzie's pre-spring cleanout could reap rewards

Just a day or so before embarking on yet another end of season tour to the northern hemisphere, and just a week or so before helping the English celebrate (!) the opening of yet another stand at Twickenham, it seems bizarre that the All Blacks should be preparing by facing up to the might of a second and third Divisional XV in Auckland.

Preparation for next year's World Cup seems to have been so thorough and forward thinking that Graham Henry was able to persuade the NZRFU, who have arm-twisted their disgruntled media paymasters, to stand down 22 elite players for the first half of the 2007 Super 14 to allow for 'conditioning' work in readiness for the jamboree in France.

And yet preparation of the 32 players who will travel north this weekend for their final European excursion before the real thing next September has been anything but straightforward.

Skipper Richie McCaw has made one brief appearance in the Air New Zealand Cup since the conclusion of the Tri Nations series, matches in which Australians, in particular, took great delight in trying to take lumps out of him and is deemed to be rusty and in need of game time.

At the other extreme, Jerry Collins and Rodney So'oialo took a full and full-blooded part in the Wellington Lions' campaign, which was only thwarted at the last by a re-invigorated Waikato side. They might be said to be in need of a rest but seem unlikely to get one much before the beginning of December.

Despite those concerns and reservations it seems probable that Henry's World Cup squad will come from those now assembled in Auckland.

Of course there will be injuries and one or two will fall by the wayside because of injuries or late-night incidents in night clubs. In other words, this next month represents a dress rehearsal for the All Blacks and they will want to return home unbeaten and with all parts of their game well-oiled.

Which is particularly bad news for the English, their first opponents.With the world champions seemingly in a state of unprepared disarray (can you be in a state of prepared disarray?) expect McCaw's side to be in ruthless mood as they attempt to further destabilise Andy Robinson's rudderless ship and set themselves up for the sterner tests in France.

It would be no real surprise to see the French tie their series of two matches before Henry and Hansen move on to familiar pastures in South Wales. Coach Gareth Jenkins, without the injuries that plagued the Welsh side this time last year, appears to have chosen a strong-looking autumn squad.

If the All Blacks are drained by the physical challenge of France on consecutive weekends, and if the Welsh have got their act together with wins over the Wallabies, Canada and the Pacific Islanders, a magnificent showdown in Cardiff is in prospect.

Setting aside match results for a moment, alongside the quality of their collective endeavours, All Black management will be looking closely at a number of individuals and hoping they can solve the problems that exist in one or two positions.

Towards the end of the Air New Zealand Cup, Henry would have been delighted to see the confidence and form of centre Conrad Smith return.With the international retirement of Tana Umaga, Smith seemed his natural replacement until a bad injury curtailed his Super 14 season and kept him out of the Tri Nations.

An intelligent footballer who always makes things happen with ball in hand , he seems a more versatile option than the one-dimensional Ma'a Nonu, even if that dimension is physically intimidating.

The latter is usually more useful on the wing for Wellington, but there aren't any vacancies in the All Black side with Rico Gear, Joe Rococoko and Sitiveni Sivivatu on duty.

To audiences outside New Zealand, the selection of Canterbury scrum-half Andy Ellis, in preference to Southlander Jimmy Cowan, who seemed to be establishing himself in the side, may have come as a surprise.

But it was not an unexpected selection to New Zealand rugby followers. Ellis was another to receive a Super 14 injury at the wrong moment, and Henry went out of his way at the end of May to state that Ellis would have been in his squad for the Tri Nations. Whilst Ellis clearly travels to Europe as the junior half back, behind Byron Kelleher and Piri Weepu, it is not inconceivable that come World Cup time Ellis will have forced himself to the front of the queue.

Kelleher has been largely unconvincing in 2006, perhaps under-played and perhaps reaching his sell-by date and needing a big tour in the weeks ahead. Weepu made considerable strides on last year's end of season tour and seemed about to establish himself. Confident and cavalier, at times in 2006 he has seemed to take too much on himself and error -prone at the wrong moments.

Few expected lock Keith Robinson to even play again, never mind make another All Black tour. If his back injuries are really healed then he offers Henry some intriguing options and real depth in the second row.

Chris Jack and Ali Williams are still probably the A team selections, but there is not much between Williams and the fast-improving Jason Eaton, with Robinson and youngster James Ryan, another returning from injury, breathing down their necks. No wonder there has been press talk this week of Henry experimenting with Eaton or Ryan as a blindside flanking option.

Of course, much of this speculation and analysis could be rendered meaningless if the Divisional XV get up over the All Blacks on the weekend !