Since an oval ball was first passed in this country ,New Zealand has always had good loose forwards. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn views the five men tasked with helping the All Blacks get the ball, score some points and tackle the opposition.
A year ago, New Zealand looked to have an invincible set of loose forwards.
Captain courageous Richie McCaw, energetic New Zealand player of the year Kieran Read and Jerome Kaino to provide the brute force and heavy hits.
Backed up by players such as Liam Messam, Victor Vito and Daniel Braid, the All Blacks had plenty of stocks in the loose forward department.
But roll on a few months and things are not looking as solid.
McCaw was injured early in the season and is not quite be back to his brilliant best. Read and Kaino have got through a power of work in the Super 15 but that has only led to them being somewhat worn out at the end of it.
Read was rested in the early tests and was injured early in the game against the Wallabies last week - only his second test of the year - and will now be out of the early stages of the tournament.
Kaino also took a while to get going and missed the loss to Australia as his partner was giving birth.
So to fill the gaps the selectors gave Adam Thomson a turn at all three positions and, although he never disgraced the jersey, he had a forgettable match in the loss to the Australians, forced off the field early with an injured elbow.
The injury is not too serious and he is expected to miss just the opening match.
The selectors made it plain early on they did not want a specialist back-up openside flanker and Thomson looks to be the man to fill in for McCaw should the captain get injured.
Messam was also given the "don't come Monday" call by the selectors as he never quite convinced.
Vito was his replacement and now with the two injuries has an important role to fill.
Whether he is up to it, and how much Read will be missed will be discovered in the next couple of weeks.
• Age: 30
• Test caps: 97
• Physical: 106kg, 1.87m
Captain who has been a constant pain for opposing sides for near on a decade. Will bring up 100 tests in the tournament and his chance at destiny awaits.
• Age: 25
• Test caps: 32
• Physical: 108kg, 1.93m
The form player of last year with skill, energy and power although an ankle injury has slowed him down and he may not front until well into the tournament.
• Age: 28
• Test caps: 41
• Physical: 110kg, 1.96m
Big and bruising Kaino has been on the improve for the past four years, and is now one of the first men picked. Never takes a backward step and a good defender.
• Age: 29
• Test Caps: 22
• Physical: 110kg, 1.96m
Has been knocking on the door for some time and his all-energy game could not be ignored by the selectors. Has been slowed by an elbow injury and may not play the first game.
• Age: 24
• Test caps: 8
• Physical: 109kg, 1.92m
After being cast adrift last year he played well in an underachieving Hurricanes team, and came back into the squad, winning the spot ahead of Liam Messam.
