Should NZ have rested McCaw & Carter for SA away match?

My question to the forum is whether or not Henry should have rested McCaw & Carter for the SA away match?

I have mixed feelings about this. Undoubtedly NZ's RWC challenge rests heavily on those 2 players... just like ENG 03's victory was to MJ & JW.
If they get injured its game over.... especially with no real, up to standard replacement 10. McCaw also is simply the team's daddy... without him NZ look very beatable and lose the aura that they have.

They're in pole position for the 3N title so they can rest their top players right?

In my view however, SA are their biggest hurdle for the RWC in all probability.... beat them and their near home dry. It would have made a huge statement for NZ to come over the SA and beat them in their own backyard sending out a message 'if you can't beat us at home with your very best... what chance do you have on our home turf'?

It would certainly demoralise the boks & with confidence & bravery such an important factor in test match success IMO they're handing the boks a lifeline.
I would be very surprised if a AB side went to SA without McCaw & Carter & won.... they'll give momentum to the boks and could even scupper their own 3N title.
Furthermore if Aus win this saturday, NZ lose next week, Aus will go into the final 3N match at home knowing that victory over NZ will secure the 3N title.... which would also give them also a massive confidence boost.

I understand why Henry has done it, its the natural action to take.... but by allowing SA to find form, find confidence it could end up the biggest mistake Henry makes as coach if somehow SA beat NZ in the probable RWC11 SF.

IMO it's the right decision. Henry will be judged on the WC not the 3N's. The AB's will be formidable in SA anyway and even with returning players SA will have to up their game to beat them. We'll know more about SA's potential in a few hours.

For any team to win the WC they will need to be able to slot 2nd choice players in and still perform - NZ are better equipped to do that than any other side.

I agree on the 3N... no one cares about who wins this year... but for me momentum is so important and I think they have an opportunity to kill off SA right now.... rather than at the RWC SF where we all know... NZ and also these current crop of players have experienced pressure failures when it comes to KO rugby.

We'll certainly see how strong NZ's 2nd string are.. with 9 1st team players missing the trip it will certainly test these NZ players... but SA on their day would take NZ's first XV all the way home or away so I can't see past a convincing SA victory.

Today is a different matter against a full strength Aus team (albeit I think SA will win today) but their is nothing worse for all the other contenders then the title holders finding form at the right time... and a re-juvenated bok side may just too much for NZ or anyone else.

Knock them down, keep them in check and SA are just another team.... put air in their lungs and they become the most dangerous team in the competition.... which is why I'd rather risk their inclusion.

Can`t win without McCaw and Carter?3Ns does`nt matter?let Boks or Oz
build up momentum and confidence pre RWC?
What Planet are you lot on the RWC is about confidence,BUT players going in to a RWC is an established fact.
McCaw,and Carter plus even Read and Conrad Smith are short of game time,3Ns titles mean little in RWC year All Blacks won convincngly in 2003
against full strength SA and Oz sides,and won in2007 to but went in under cooked.
Lest you for get Rugby is a team game,Matt Todd has proven he can cover McCaw if needs must and luke Braid could do a bench job.
ANY side could struggle if key players are injured,Carter the ONLY Decent FH in New Zealand.
Sorry there a lot of Fly halves who are as good as most of the other FHs in the world cup squads of other countries.
In the final 2010 3Ns game Crudon,Slade and Weepu combined to win the game.
Truth is the All Blacks would still win MOST of ther matches without the Dynamic duo they just would have to try harder and plan for it.
Matt Berquist is another who could do a job if Required.

SA gave NZ momentum last time and it didn't mean anything. I'd say the Boks would be favourites next week but not by much at all and I'd say the ABs will run them close if not sneak it. That would give SA something to think about-NZ winning in the Republic whilst keeping their powder dry.

Leadership will be tested and for the other NZ senior players to have a responsibility like this will benefit NZ in the long run. Well actually short run-jeepers it's starting next month!

FA, I think we first need to see how SA will go today. I am not so sure that All Black team is as weak as you suggest.

It is true that 9 players are being rested, but the line as far as the All Blacks first choice is often blurred, and when you ask 100 New Zealanders what their best team is, there will be varying opinions, in SA's case we are pretty sure who our best team is and there are only a few we may disagree on.

Yes fa0019 a lot of assumptions in there.
When did SAs xv last take nz on anyday home or away.
They didnt lasy year.
And what will then be the case if nz win next week? surely without the 9 SA you would have to assume SA have practically zero wcup chances given a full team would completely demoralise them.
And without carter mccaw we'd have no chance?
Says who?
Lot of throw away comments in there that dont really stack up methinks.

Taylorman, I think both you and Fa are a little too confident here.

Was it not only the previous season we won 3-0?

It all boils down to what will happen if we meet in the RWC.

NZ will be favourites, but if we can do well in the next two tests, these guys have won in NZ in 2008 and 2009, it will give us a chance.

I dont see any relevance between this and the world cup to be honest.
Was just commenting on some rather blase comments.
I mean if us bringing our full team over would finish off SA right now what should happen if ABs win next week? SA shouldnt bother even coming perhaps.
Anyway. The points diff today will depend on the start. SA are notoriously slow against Oz recently or perhaps its Oz that are very quick.

Deans has a killer punch approach that if it doesnt come off his all eggs in one basket approach will fall over at some point as key players either get injured or lose confidence.

SA hold the key to a big win. Oz are fragile and SA need to capitalise on it through smashing them hard where it hurts.

All the best Biltong. Sitting down now for it...

Which post are you on? here or in the pub?

Cold water time, SA,AUS,have won 3 times in NZ since1996, France and
England have maybe 2 or 3 wins in the same period.
NZ have a away win rate in the Republic of 43%,SA in NZ of just under 28%.
NZ loss rate is 101 all told,31 since going professional in 1996,where the loss rate is around 18%. NZ lose roughly a third of there lost matches at home.
When you start making wild statements substantiate them please,In 2008
post RWC the All Blacks lost to various reasons around 22 players capped
many among the best in there positions inWorld Rugby.
The matches were played under the ELVs or some of them,for the first time
SA picked NH based players,specificaly Matfield ,Botha,James.Montgomery all underperformed.
The best lock on view was Ali Williams,during that series at Dunedin,2008 Thorn was suspended,Ali went of injured after 29 minutes.
For the rest of that match Boric,and a sublock making his debut outplayed Matfield and Botha.The All Blacks were leading going into the last minute
when the Boks won at death knock with one of the GREATEST solo tries i`ve ever seen in nearly 6 decades in watching Rugby.
The All Blacks 2008 they used a Super final Crusaders versus Hurricanes as a test trial.
In Percy Montgomery`s last match was it his 100th he and Dan Carter,had a string of goal kicks both missed most of them.There were comments on
the game afterwards about ball being over inflated.Franny Steyn punted from his own 22 and the ball went over the NZ dead ball line to the derision
of SA commetators,the match was in Sa the Boks LOST,both sides won away that year,
In 2009 until post 3Ns was an All Black shadow side,Boks were exhausted taking 4 losses in Europe in the AIs.The All Blacks toured unbeatenin AIs ,didn`t concede a try,indede only conceded one score in the second half in all the matches played.
In 2010 it was the Boks who were badly depleted by injuries,but final 3Ns
Match was won by All Blacks without Dan Carter.
What does this prove absolutely NOTHING,on any day,anywhere BOTH sides can win or lose.BUT all things being equal it is usualy a home win!!!

Dont know how SA are ahead with all the mistakes. Counted about 10 dropped or lose passes from SA despite having most of the ball. Clearly a sign od not being familiar with test rugby pace.