All Blacks to Combine for Tri-Nations

Phase one of Graham Henry's bold two-team All Black plan worked, just, with New Zealand hanging on to beat Argentina 25-19 in Buenos Aries on Sunday.

Now the two All Black squads combine to play the Wallabies in Christchurch on Saturday week in game one of the Tri-Nations competition.

Meanwhile, the one-squad Wallabies trounced Ireland 37-15 on Saturday in Perth. What a difference new coach John Connolly has made, transforming the woeful Wallabies of last season into possible world beaters.

In three games – two against a re-building England and one against Ireland – the Connolly Wallabies have had three easy wins.

For phase two of Henry's World Cup plan to work, he will have to re-write basic mathematics and prove that two into one will go.

A home loss by the All Blacks would give a huge boost to the Wallabies, who rarely lose in Australia. In Test campaigns, momentum means much, so Henry's plan not only defies arithmetic wisdom but is high-risk rugby as well.

While fortune favours the brave it tends to embarrass the arrogant, so Henry will have a lot on the line in Christchurch, which makes the game all the more interesting.

For fans of old-style All Black rugby, the match in Buenos Aries was a blast from the 10-man past. Referee Nigel Whitehouse sent fullback Leon McDonald to the bin for playing the ball on the ground – but it made no difference. We weren't using the backs anyway.

From that perspective, the match was outstanding: first five-eighth Daniel Carter guided the All Blacks around the park with superb kicking; the pack matched the much-vaunted Pumas, and blindside flanker Gerry Collins proved his leadership under duress.

Further, rookie winger Scott Hamilton showed he can match it with all the other brilliant All Black wingers. Though seen as a weak link in the Crusaders backline, he continually gets into the right place at the right time and then does the right thing.

Lock Jason Eaton played outstandingly in both the tight and the loose and showed great discipline when encouraged to bring out the biff. This will count for much – particularly as the Wallaby locks, Daniel Vickerman and Nathan Sharpe, are experts at niggling opponents.

Halfback Piri Weepu was back to his belligerent best.

Overall, the All Blacks played a team game in slippery conditions, which I am sure will help coach Henry sleep at night – at least until Saturday week.