Aisle Be Back: All Blacks v Wales Second Test

Are some of us a bit bored with the All Blacks? Yes, of course, it is tedious having to support what is historically rugby's most successful nation during what will no doubt be one day called its most golden era.

No, I'm not toying with madness. But a work colleague was onto something this week when she explained why she hadn't gone to the stadium for the test. She's dead keen on her sports, rugby included, but confessed she wasn't feeling the thrill of seeing the All Blacks again.

It wasn't boredom. I guess it was what they call ennui. And a feeling that the All Blacks are such a machine that it's all a bit predictable.

And then the watercooler talk took another zigzag - onto how one of the drivers for British people wanting to leave the EU was a longing to get their country back. Which country? Well, probably a nostalgic version of it that never really existed and certainly won't again.

And that's where my workmate went next. She was hankering after day tests, mud all over the park, close games. Yep, the 1970s. When our test record was pretty patchy.

Have you watched one of those tests again recently. I did, the third test, 1977 classic against the Lions. Very different of course, and so stop-start as to drive you to despair at times.

Not a patch on the modern game or skill levels or turf quality - and that's no reflection on the great players of that time.

Of course last week I wrote that it would be a good thing for the All Blacks to be put to a serious test by someone, and maybe that someone would be a resurgent England.

So I'm hankering too for that edge of the seat nostalgia. But then I remind myself of where that can end up, like the horror year when poor Taine Randell was skipper. Be careful what you wish for.

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Poor Michael Cheika. Rope a Doped once, then twice. So as I wrote last week, the English chariot is now going to roll and roll under Eddie Jones. As far as the All Blacks are concerned, they'll have to listen to its noise growing and growing until at least late 2017 when the two sides are next likely to meet.

Before then, they'll play each other a hundred times or a thousand times on paper.

Beyond wild claims that in fact the All Blacks would "hammer" England right now (really?), we can I think say some things:

1) The All Blacks are better than Australia.
2) They'd have, and use a wider toolkit to unpick Rope a Dope.
3) Our pack would not be bullied.

Plenty of known and unknown unknowns ahead. How much better will Jones have England at a year from now? How well are the new era All Blacks going to develop?  Add your own questions.

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35,000 Wellington rugby fans were of course right on Saturday night. Ardie needs to be starting a test match, not finishing it!

It's great to have the Cane v Savea debate to chew over, shades of Merts and Carlos of course. Who knows when Ardie will get his chance, but it will come.

But one argument I absolutely hate to see trotted out is that Sam Cane has some right to the number 7 jersey because he's done his time, his apprenticeship.

The incumbency argument is not how you should pick one of the key All Black roles. It's got to be about who in the end is the best player - and how that fits with the team strategy.

It's great that we can be having the luxury of having that debate.

Lifelong All Blacks supporter Kev has followed the Hurricanes since they began. He has a season pass. Every year he predicts the Canes will win Super Rugby. He refuses to be called a long-suffering fan.