Graeme Henry has lost the plot on coaching ,rushing back players like Andrew Hore and Brendon Lenard who hadnt played for weeks due to injury.You cant expect players like them to perform at test level after injury, bar Richie MacCaw who is world class.And first five Stephen Donald looks like a club player whos playing test rugby ,he offers nothing for backline but trouble as they have no space to move the ball cleanly.They should have looked at Stephen Brett and worked with him,he has good kicking skills and can offer space.

To C F #17

I was referring to the team that played last Saturday. Therefore I will discount your comments about Tarzan, sorry Jane.

I agree that Smith had a very good game, but as for Grand Ma'a - get rid.

I also notice you didn't go through the forwards. And as you said, the AB's played better in the second half when Tialata, Hore and Soialo were taken off - yes they are Hurricanes. And then Eaton came on, and combined with Weepu, yes both Hurricanes, cost us the game/bonus point.

As I said: TMH! They don't know what it's like to win the tough stuff.

Swazi. Agree with your comment. NZ is not playing expansive rugby. They either kick or have one off runners trying to smash through and are paying the price for this game plan.

But Nonu is not to blame. His options taking and passing skills are OK. Donald on the other hand is hopeless. He seems to be able to only think one move ahead. Weepu is too slow and does not suit expansive rugby and nor does Leonard or McAlister. The back three are also playing like individuals recently.

lack of backplay stems from the backs doin the forwards job.... So please stop seagulling mr overpaid allblack ?!

Rugby has got awefully boring for me, it is built to much on defence and we are not seeing the tries of years gone by. If I think back (and I am not that old), I remember the likes of Terry Wright being able to his man on the outside and then run half a field. You don't see that these days, and that's to the detriment of rugby

David #8. Don't forget, the Crusaders could and did punish any team from anywhere on the field. The ball passed through most of the players from their end all the way to the tryline so saying they were only defensive is very short sighted. I still rate Merhts above Carter.

You cant run a backline with Donald at 1st 5, simple as that. Get rid of Donald, bring in McAllister or Weepu, problem sorted.

missing daniel carter much are we?

This is ridiculous, Wayne Smith lack of belief in the skills depth of the ABs is the prime problem for the ABs abject inability to construct a coherent attacking formation that elicits results on the ticker. My sense is that the three wisemen realised that if they are to retain their winning strike rate the key is to limit risk exposure when pitted in a situation whereby one or three in this case is coaching a team with alleged dearth in skills set to execute an expansive game plan.

This lament is akin to the glory days of Wales in the late 60's to the 70's. Remember the time when we scored we would show off support options on either side, equally our forwards during the period of 2005-2007 were masters at the tackle/off-load situation which gave us a front foot platform to unleash our attack.

Nonu unfortunately has two left feet, he has no balance, his distribution skills are wanting, he gives the ball no speed at all, he renders the backline incoherent. The bash approach is archaic at international level, even the South Africans have realized that. Luke McAllister is the only viable option at no.12, he has balance, he frequently beats the first man, he hits the ball with speed, varies his running lines, and provides options for different attack channels. The fundamental reason behind the loss of form of Mils, Joe, and Siti are a direct function of Wayne Smith not wanting to institute a skillful attacking game plan which has starved the backs of appropriate ball to maintain their skills at optimum level.

What New Zealand rugby really needs is a new coach. Graham Henry is stale and out of ideas. The All Blacks are starting to be beaten at their own game. Just watch Robbie Deans team start to out class them. The biggest mistake NZ has ever made was to let the best rugby coach in the world go.