I totally agree with Henry. There should be men teachers cultivating the talents in primary and intermediate school levels. Instead we have women and PC men in those developing stages where the talents are now subject to nanny krap under Key's hand...

Is rugby a dying sport or what?

Donald is a liability in every game he appears in.

Whenever he touches the ball everything just turns to crap! Let's hope this tour was the equivalent of a golden-handshake for him.

We don't have as many people playing and that is a function of the the fact that not everyone sees a game live anymore. Given that you are probably 8-10 when you fully appreciate watching a live test match with Dad and given that pay tv took over about 14 years or so ago those 22 or so and under ie many of the younger All Blacks ,are the first to not have grown up with such an all encompassing All Black culture as those previously. We are simply not getting the pick of the athletic crop playing rugby and this will only only get worse as other sports have their world cups or ,heaven forbid, we loose the next WC...oh the pressure. TEST SHOULD BE LIVE AND FREE, or more importantly they should have been for the last 14 years, the chickens are now coming home to roost...just in time for our most important WC.

Simon #11 totally agree.

Messiam has been given chances and he is clearly not an All Black. At best he is a solid provincial journeyman. The fact that he ever wore the black jersey shows how little depth we currently have.

If you read the actual quote, you'll see the reason for rotation. It's not to develop a "b-team", it's to shore up the full talent pool for the top team - to provide a bench of talent and cover in the event of injuries to key players.

Rotation = smart policy.

In a fair weather scenario where injury doesn’t take it’s toll, some players step up in the S14 and there is a notable returnee from overseas then we could have pretty strong first and second IV leading into 2011: Props – Woodcock, Hayman, Franks, Afoa, Tialata (if stays off the KFC). Outside contenders include McIntosh and Newland. Hookers – Hore, Mealamu. Outside contenders include De Malmanche, Reid, Flynn Locks – Thorn, Williams, Jack, Donnelly, Boric, Ross Loose Forwards – McCaw, Whitelock, Lowe, Thompson, Kaino, Read, So’oialo Half backs – Cowan, Weepu, Leonard No 10 - Carter, Cruden, Robinson Centres – Nonu, McAlister, Smith, Kahui Wings – Sivivatu, Jane, Guildford, Rokocoko (if finds form), Gear (if learns to catch high ball) Full Back – Muliana, Toeava

I can't understand why the All Blacks don't play midweek games during their Northern Tour. For years this was where the All Blacks developed their players to get them up to international standards. The rotation system just gets in the way of the top 15 playing together and really developing as a unit.

Henry should just shut up and get on with it. He needs to live with his selections. Some of which ie.Donald, Ben Smith, McAlister, Messam, Thompson, Hore - simply defy logic.

If Henry & Co can't recognise Donald isn't the answer - then we're in more trouble than we thought. Guys like Stephen Brett & Hosea Gear are just being wasted. Aaron Cruden should've gone on this tour - to hell with Donald!

The coaches lost that game, not the players. the forwards did well all game and definately established parity up front and in the set piece, but the backs, were directionless (with both delaney and donald show they not up to the task that DC does so well). Putting siti in at centre was a shocker, as he is not a distributer kind of a player, and one can only imagine that ellision suffered an injury to force such a hair brain scheme from the coaches to develop. So to recap, forwards went well.... backs directionless at 1st five and centre (in the 2nd half) meant that even the all blacks couldnt win with a non existant backline.

Developing depth? A few years ago on a northern tour, Henry fielded 2 completely different teams in consecutive weekends. 1 to play Wales, the other to play Ireland. Both teams ended up thrashing their opposition - great for NZ rugby!! I guess Henry & co are trying to replicate a similar player base where the coaching staff can throw a player into the deep end and not disrupt the AB's game plan. In the short-term it's a great idea. Long-term, well you just have to look at players like Nick Evans, Aaron Mauger & co who had left because of lack of game time!! That's the problem with creating depth within a squad - you can't give everyone a run. Henry needs to make up his bloody mind and this time stick with his top players while still having a strong bench. Otherwise don't expect the Web ellis trophy to be in the NZRFU come 2011.

Get rid of Donald, he's only in AB's cause Nick Evans and Aaron Mauger left NZ shores. Loosing top quality players overseas in the benefit of developing depth within AB's.