Here's an interesting article by Taine Randell in his Sunday News Column
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-news/sport/columnists/4215636/Leave-McCaw-and-Carter-at-home
As you can see, he suggests that both Carter and Macaw should be left behind ... i'm not so sure. While it would probably do Macaw and Carter some good, I think it's probably be better to take them, but give them less game time by either starting the fringe players and have them come in off the bench, or have them start, and be subbed off earlier
... anyway, here's the article
The upcoming All Blacks tour of the Northern Hemisphere should be used as preparation for next year's World Cup. That's why our dynamic duo should be told to take the summer off.
RICHIE McCaw and Dan Carter should be left in New Zealand rather than touring north with the All Blacks at the end of the month.
This is an ideal chance to give the two players most central to New Zealand's World Cup quest a decent break ahead of the tournament here next year.
I'm convinced we need to be looking at long-term gain rather than short-term success with this deadly duo.
That means they should be skipping an end-of-year tour that lacks relevancy in the bigger picture.
These tours are becoming questionable, especially with the addition of the stopover matches in Asia that are clearly just a money-grabbing exercise.
The reported lack of interest in Hong Kong for the Bledisloe Cup clash against Australia there on October 30 is concerning but also a pointer to the climate of overkill.
I detect from acquaintances in Britain that there is a danger of similar nonchalance to the matches there, given the regularity with which the All Blacks appear up north nowadays.
This is a third Grand Slam attempt in six years, diminishing the mystique of what was once a rare quest.
It's clear the World Cup is the Holy Grail and that is what we must be concentrating our efforts on.
Resting superstars McCaw and Carter would have double benefits.
It will give them a decent breather â€" a complete summer off.
McCaw operates in the most demanding position in the game and has played virtually every minute of test action this year. He deserves a break.
Carter is still coming back from ankle surgery. Why the rush? Let him fully recuperate and recharge for the biggest year of his stellar career.
Leaving them behind would force the All Blacks to operate without them, and that mightn't be a bad thing.
History shows that when one or the other is absent the All Blacks struggle a bit. Look at the last Bledisloe Cup, where we squeaked past the Wallabies in the last minute without Carter.
When both are absent it can be a real battle, as we discovered early last year.
But I think it would do the All Blacks some good to learn to win without them.
It's also the only real opportunity the selectors are going to have to look at alternatives in their key positions at No7 and No10.
There's no doubt these are the areas where we are lacking depth of proven test performers.
Now is the time to try to rectify that.
Rather than having alternatives get one start on tour and play the odd 30-minute cameo here and there, Graham Henry and his fellow coaches could throw full responsibility to the back-up players.
There are five tests on this tour â€" give them two-and-a-half games each.
The All Blacks shouldn't feel any compulsion to include McCaw and Carter in their touring party.
New Zealand have more than fulfilled their responsibilities in the past, consistently taking fully-loaded squads north just months after northern sides have toured our shores with severely weakened outfits.
New Zealand's responsibilities should be to ourselves right now in terms of getting the All Blacks best prepared for the World Cup. To me, that means taking an opportunity to rest some star power and fully explore some alternatives.
Apart from the 2007 World Cup shock in Cardiff, the All Blacks haven't lost a test in Europe during Henry's reign. There's a good chance that no matter who they field, they could still come through this tour unbeaten. In 2005 Henry essentially took two sides north and played them on alternate weekends to claim the Grand Slam.
I'd go a step further this time and try and do it without the talisman forward and back â€" McCaw and Carter.
And who should we be looking at to take their places?
Daniel Braid wasn't lured back to New Zealand for nothing and remains a genuine alternative at openside flanker. Tanerau Latimer is probably the best of the rest. So let them scrap over the No7 jersey for six weeks â€" and may the best man win.
As far as Carter's replacement is concerned, I'd be taking Colin Slade. I'm still not totally convinced about Aaron Cruden at this level and I think Mike Delany deserves a bit more investigation. Here's the perfect chance.
Will there be a bolter when when the touring squad is named next Sunday?
I like the look of Jarrad Hoeata, the Taranaki, Chiefs and New Zealand Maori back rower. He's a physical player with plenty of hustle and bustle, is a good lineout option and could be a powerful back-up to Jerome Kaino at No6.
I think Victor Vito and Liam Messam are too similar to play together. So I would have one of them operating at No8 and Hoeata at blindside.
This is a crucial time for the All Blacks and that has been brought home to me over the past couple of weeks as I've toured the country with the Webb Ellis Cup on the Heineken tour.
We haven't just visited the main centres, we have been in the rural areas, too. The one thing that has been hammered home to me is the importance Kiwis are placing on the World Cup and the All Blacks performance. They sense a big step in the right direction this year that has raised expectations.
With those expectations comes pressure. The All Blacks need to ensure they have all their bases covered â€" that's why learning to live without McCaw and Carter right now wouldn't be a bad thing.
