Once again the All Blacks are the pacesetters in world rugby. A fantastic 93 per cent winning record in 2010 is light years ahead of the next in the rankings and provides plenty of confidence for 2011.

Eddie Jones, the losing coach with Australia in the 2003 World Cup final, and part of the winning coaching team for South Africa in 2007, believes the All Blacks have profited under the new laws by adapting quickly and believing in what they are doing.

Teams such as South Africa still don’t know how they want to play. However, as he sees it, “defences will be stronger next year in the World Cup and more `grind’ will be required, so can the Kiwis do this?”

The 2011 Tri-Nations provides four matches to prepare for the World Cup. Hopefully, these games will provide a challenge of suitable intensity and pressure so that the squad are ready both physically and mentally to perform at their best. By then, and with seven previous seasons behind them, the three coaches should have the squad ready for any eventuality.

So here is the scene: Semifinal, 12 minutes to go. The team are losing by nine points. Dan Carter and Conrad Smith are off injured as they were against France in ’07. Who is on the field in the tactical decision-makers’ role to make the correct choices and develop a plan?

In seven seasons McCaw’s captaincy has gone from strength to strength, but who in the backs – the player with his hands on the ball more often than others, and a player with verbal authority – has been developed for this scenario? The simple answer is: No-one.

As it stands at the moment none of the four halfbacks appears to be able to organise and “run” the game; Stephen Donald is not the answer at first-five and there are only two candidates for Carter’s spot. Both have had a sneak preview only, up until now, but one must be thrown in next season.

The two candidates are Mike Delany and Colin Slade.

Hopefully, Delany will get plenty of game time ahead of Donald at the Chiefs, so he can be measured, while for Slade, who is now a Highlander, good performances in an average squad will go a long way to cementing the backup No10 position.

Piri Weepu’s recovery will no doubt be anxiously awaited too, as he might well be the bench cover for Carter, as both a kicker and conductor, but not as a starting player, unless of course the cupboard is seen as still being bare.

Graham Henry recently made a puzzling statement that the World Cup squad was already selected apart from six places.

Surely this cannot be the case.

It does not allow for the loss of form, the emergence of talent such as Charlie Faumuina and Robbie Fruean, or the re-emergence of the likes of Rodney So’oialo. It doesn’t provide much motivation for those who consider themselves on the fringe.

It’s scary, though. It indicates that the current group can rest peacefully, which is not what is required in 2011.

Surely Jamie Mackintosh and Faumuina are being considered in the front row. Do Chris Jack and Jason Eaton give up any hope already? Is So’oialo not required to add muscle to the three certainties in the back row? What is the thinking on the wing? Already Hosea Gear has proved that previous attitudes were incorrect.

What is required is plenty of intensity in the Super 15 with every player aiming for that All Blacks squad and feeling as though the door is not closed. I can’t wait! Bring on 2011.

Ian Snook has coached professionally for the past 25 years in New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, England, Ireland, Japan and Italy.

Courtesy of stuff.co.nz