TAINE RANDELL COLUMN - © Fairfax NZ News

A new era at the World Cup-winning All Blacks brings with it the inevitable question: Will the new head coach stick with his best players, who will be on a slow decline, or will he opt for young up-and-coming talent?

© Fairfax NZ News

The Phoenix's uninspired and ugly Friday night performance simply isn't good enough.

TAINE RANDELL - © Fairfax NZ News

Despite having arguably the best loosies in the world, the All Blacks will be wary of the world-class French back row, who are one of the main reasons Les Bleus will contest tonight's World Cup final.

GREG MURPHY - © Fairfax NZ News

The motorsport community was rocked last weekend by the British IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon's fiery death at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

DANNY HAY - © Fairfax NZ News

The Phoenix will be more than happy to slip under the radar today as all eyes focus on Eden Park and the All Blacks.

TAINE RANDELL COLUMN - © Fairfax NZ News

Ahead of the semifinal against the Wallabies, the All Blacks' meeting with New Zealand's only World Cup-winning team will have reinforced the significance of tonight's do-or-die match.

RICHARD KNOWLER AT EDEN PARK - © Fairfax NZ News

Captain  calamity Sam Warburton must have felt as sick as a poisoned parrot when Alain Rolland plucked the red card out of his strides last night.

DANY HAY COLUMN - © Fairfax NZ News

Welcome to The Ricki Herbert show!

TAINE RANDELL COLUMN - © Fairfax NZ News

Richie McCaw is a bit of a throwback. There's an air of old school about his persona. We suspect there's some pain but he's going to grit his teeth and play through it.

DANNY HAY COLUMN - © Fairfax NZ News

The new A-League season is a golden opportunity for Ricki Herbert to show how tactically shrewd a coach he really is.

TAINE RANDELL COLUMN - © Fairfax NZ News

The three Pacific Island teams – Tonga, Samoa and Fiji – had their moments in this year's World Cup but they let themselves down by abandoning their traditional styles.

TAINE RANDELL COLUMN - © Fairfax NZ News

The animosity from some Kiwis directed at the Wallabies and, in particular, Quade Cooper at the Rugby World Cup is getting a bit nasty. Perhaps, Robbie Deans has erred in letting individuals become bigger than the team.

DANNY HAY COLUMN - © Fairfax NZ News

Things are going to be vastly different in the Phoenix now. It's about to become a proper business.

DANNY HAY COLUMN - © Fairfax NZ News

Knowing when to walk away from the game is a dilemma all players, whether they are professional or amateur, have to face at some point.

FRANK BUNCE - © Fairfax NZ News

As Samoa prepare to face Wales in today's World Cup clash in Hamilton, former player and All Black Frank Bunce recalls the day the Pacific nation wrote themselves into rugby folklore.

TAINE RANDELL COLUMN - © Fairfax NZ News

England and South Africa have proved in the last two tournaments that settled teams, building confidence and gaining momentum are a proven winning formula. Sides picked for individual games don't succeed in the bigger picture.

TAINE RANDELL COLUMN - © Fairfax NZ News

Just as he did against Tonga on Friday night, Israel Dagg has made every post a winner. With each game Dagg plays, Mils Muliaina looks like he may be sitting on the sidelines when the crunch World Cup games come around.

DANNY HAY COLUMN - © Fairfax NZ News

Tim Payne has ability. Bags of it, in fact, and the opportunity of a lifetime has now presented itself.

TAINE RANDELL COLUMN - © Fairfax NZ News

While there is always room for one outsider in the World Cup semifinals, it's usually only a heavyweight who wins the title. Let's take a look at the prime contenders.

TAINE RANDELL COLUMN - © Fairfax NZ News

While there can be few arguments about the 30-man selection, I still believe there is room for specialist skills operating down the touchlines, especially in a cut-throat World Cup environment.