Players key to lifting suspended sentence

New Zealand rugby has been and probably still is in a strange place. Public support inhabits a kind of twilight zone somewhere between guilty rejection and grudging support. Few can bring themselves to outright hostility but even fewer are prepared to give unconditional support.

The All Blacks, it seems, are on parole. Or more accurately, they have a suspended sentence.

Others might argue that the suspended sentence will last until the end of the Henry era.

A leading rugby writer for a daily newspaper was moved to state in print recently that he loathes Graham Henry and that while he remains the coach of the All Blacks he can no longer bring himself to support the team.

Putting aside the demonstrable delusion of grandeur - as if anyone really gives a rat's what a rugby columnist thinks - the fact that the view was given some credibility by being seriously debated demonstrates the fragility of the support the All Blacks currently enjoy.

The length of the suspended sentence is unclear but it probably runs to the end of the Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup.

If they don't offend again, that is they retain the Tri-Nations Trophy and the Bledisloe Cup, then they will have earned again the right to the blind loyalty of the rugby public.

Any shortening of the sentence can only be achieved by playing great rugby and winning well. But the leadership of Richie McCaw will play a role too.

McCaw's performances this year have been the embodiment of all that the All Black heritage stands for - skillful, tough, courageous, humble.

McCaw has also commited himself to New Zealand rugby through until the 2011 Rugby World Cup. His leadership and presence in the game in New Zealand will continue to grow and with it so will the lost sheep be returned to the fold.

Ireland was a solid start for the new-look All Blacks but more needed to be achieved against England and it was.

The scrum was magnificient against a strong England unit and after a brief period in the first half in which England's two and three unit driving power at the breakdown had the All Blacks on the rack, the pace of the All Black backrow ensured they dominated at the tackle.

The match lost shape and precision in the second half as New Zealand made errors and England had enough possession to slow the game down.

There remains plenty for this All Black team to improve on and England too can be a much better team than they showed on Saturday.

Five players have emerged as central to the future of the new generation All Blacks after the two tests played this year.

In the forward pack Neemia Tialata at loosehead prop, Brad Thorn in the second row and Jerome Kaino at No. 8 are the key new men.

Tialata and Thorn bring what World Cup finalists England and South Africa had in abundance at last year's tournament - physical power at the set piece and breakdown.

Brad Thorn has been considered a journeyman in the past but with defences now almost impossible to crack at international level the scales have tipped further in favour of brute forward power. Tialata and Thorn are built for the job.

Kaino is more difficult to assess but so far shows signs of being the sort of player that steps up as the level does. He has height and skill and temperament.

Whether he can impose himself on the flow of the game the way all great No. 8s do remains to be seen. In principle he offers greater variety and finesse than Rodney So'oialo, who looks quite at home in the number six jersey.

In the backs it is all about the midfield as it has been for New Zealand for at least the last five years. Centre three-quarter in particular has been a position no player has made their own since Frank Bunce and before him Joe Stanley.

If Conrad Smith can stay clear of injuries and continue to bulk up a bit he may well be the answer to the most acute problem in New Zealand rugby. His ability to find an outside gap sets him apart from his contemporaries.

I like Ma'a Nonu at inside centre. He has played much more of his rugby at outside centre and wing but for me he just lacks the feel for the pass, the lateral vision and the instinct on defense of the great centres.

With so much one-off and two-off the ruck running these days in modern rugby, Nonu shapes up well as the long term inside centre for New Zealand.

Without doubt the All Blacks are off to a solid start in 2008.

A skipper in great form as a player and a leader, Dan Carter playing better than at any time in 2007, new players who are helping define a more physical style of play at the breakdown without sacrificing speed and a rugby public still a bit pouty and grumpy. Feels like a normal rebuilding cycle to me.

* David Kirk was captain of the 1987 World Cup-winning All Blacks and is the CEO of Fairfax Media

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