ALL BLACKS v SOUTH AFRICA
THE Wellington Hurricanes have never won a Super 14 tournament, but New Zealand head coach Graham Henry knew where to turn to with the acid bubbling in the Tri Nations cauldron for tomorrow's First Test against World Cup champions South Africa.
Over and done with was his rotation system and the presentation of new faces such as Richard Kahui. Back into the side came one of international rugby's smartest, sweetest-passing centres in Conrad Smith, beside his Hurricanes partner, Ma'a Nonu.
Smith was one of the All Blacks' best in the 37-20 first Test defeat of England in Auckland, whereupon Kahui, the Chiefs' talented young midfielder, was rewarded with his national call-up for the second Test, scoring a try in the 44-12 win in Christchurch.
But New Zealand's gambling is finished for the time being. The big guns are about to roar.
One cold night in Wellington in May, the television camera focused on two men huddled at the back of a grandstand for the Hurricanes' game against the Western Force, head coach Henry and New Zealand's backs coach, Wayne Smith.
They were there to watch a number of players, especially the Hurricanes' centres, Smith and Nonu, No.8 Rodney So'oialo and the front row of props Neemia Tialata and John Schwalger and hooker Andrew Hore.
Wellington led all the way, winning 21-10 and dominating possession in difficult conditions. When Henry named his first Test squad against Ireland, he included all six Hurricanes.
Smith's blossoming career appeared to have suffered a cruel setback in 2006 when he broke his leg, but his recovery was so complete that he was chosen for the All Blacks' tour of Europe, comprehensively confirming his return with an 80-metre try in the 47-3 destruction of France in Lyon.
A law graduate with honours in 2003, Smith put a legal career to one side for rugby, winning Test recognition against Italy in Rome in the All Blacks' 59-10 win in 2004.
Beside him at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington against the Springboks will be Nonu, the explosive runner with the hay streaks in his flying hair, a match-winner previously too prone to brain explosions for the good of his country.
Now Nonu is being acclaimed as one of rugby's most devastating players, and with good reason after his performance in the All Blacks' 37-20 win over last year's World Cup runners-up, England, in the first Test.
He is 104 kilograms of dynamite, a midfielder who reaches top speed in four paces, a lethal runner who made his Super 14 debut in 2003 and was included the same year by John Mitchell in his World Cup squad.
But while his pace and strength were indisputable, his dependability under pressure all too often came into question. He was bypassed by Henry for last year's World Cup in France.
This year, the Hurricanes' assistant coach, Aussie McLean, one of the most respected coaches in New Zealand, has worked tirelessly with Nonu. His influence was evident when Nonu shattered England's midfield with his pace and strength and spiralled a long pass to fullback Mils Muliaina to score.
