Blacks counting cost of replacing the perfect 10

FOR all the talents at the disposal of New Zealand coach Graeme Henry, you’d be tempted to bet he may have cast an envious eye south to Wellington this week and wished he had the half-back headaches Declan Kidney says he has been grappling with.

Henry must prepare the All Blacks for their quarter-final against Argentina in Auckland on Sunday with a nation of rugby-mad Kiwis still reeling from the news that fly-half hero Dan Carter will play no further part for the hosts at this World Cup.

Doubts about the hosts’ prospects of a first win in this tournament since the inaugural tournament, also on home soil, in 1987 have started to creep in now their superman at No.10 has fallen by the wayside, laid low with a training-ground groin injury.