http://www.nzherald.co.nz/league/news/article.cfm?c_id=79&objectid=11239549
Some interesting comments from Richie Barnett
"The naming of the Kiwis side for the upcoming Anzac test looms as one of the most important in recent times.
We met as a selection group after the World Cup to discuss what worked and what didn't and it was decided we needed to plan more for the future and try to forecast how the side might look in four years for the next World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
It's a difficult balancing act, because we want results now and don't have a great record in the annual Anzac test.
But we need to identify players now who can win us a World Cup in 2017 so some tough decisions will need to be made.
A big part of that is picking players who are committed and bring the right attitude so the culture is right within the team. We want players who hold the utmost respect for the jersey and those who came before them.
It's similar to how the All Blacks and Breakers have done things.
Good people make good players but we can't always afford to leave out difficult customers because they can some-times be the most talented. It's about working with them and finding ways to get the best out of them while still fitting in with the ethos of the group.
We always have pretty robust dis-cussions when it comes to naming a side. Coach Stephen Kearney normally picks the side he thinks is best and we then debate the merits of that. If we can't reach a consensus about a player or position, it's normally put to a vote with the majority winning.
I'm a big believer in rewarding form and attitude more than past performances. There has to be accountability and a player's past exploits will take them only so far with me.
There are a number of New Zealand players this season who are making it very difficult for us not to pick them. I was a player once and sometimes when you had a really good year but still got overlooked it was really hard to take. It's our responsibility, as selectors, to make the right decisions.
There is some comfort in the fact a number of Kangaroos, those once-in-a-generation players, probably won't be around at the next World Cup but we can't sit back and wait and hope for success. "
