Deja vu - again!

Reports are emerging from the All Black camp that a Heimlich manoevre specialist has been called into the squad to work with a team already being labelled the biggest chokers since the Boston Strangler.

The shock defeat in Brisbane this weekend has forced team sponsor Browning to rush out it's new range of shotguns 6 weeks early. The guns are available in 1/4 choke, 1/2 choke and All Black.

In the past 10 days the much vaunted All Blacks faced a ten man game - South Africa, and a fifteen man game - Australia. On both occasions they have gone down like a 5 dollar hooker.

The doubt is there, etched into the faces of many of the squad. The coaching team must loathe the phrase deja vu - again.

Injuries to Keiran Read and Adam Thompson may rule them out of the competition. How Grim Henry must have been hoping that a similar fate befell Guilford, Muliaina and Woodcock.

And it's no use the NZRFU claiming these two defeats came at the behest of Adidas who felt a more open tournament might benefit global replica jersey sales.

But one thing's for sure. What 3 months ago was a done and dusted NZ victory is no longer the case. South Africa smell blood. So do the Aussies. Even England will fancy a go at the All Blacks right now.

So it's game on - 48 games on, in fact. And the smart money is on New Zealand playing in less than 7 of them.