OPINION: Three into 10 won't go.

We all know that Beauden Barrett will start in the first of the Bledisloe tests against Australia, but is that the right decision? I suggested over two years ago that Barrett was a more natural fullback, probably the best in the world, the position where he played in the 2011 Under-20 World Cup. It appears that Ronan O'Gara is of the same mind.

So let's look at the three contenders to wear 10 for the All Blacks and assess their strengths and weaknesses. When you consider that Aaron Cruden, who never lost for the All Blacks as a starting 10, and Lima Sopoaga are now in Europe, the depth is astounding. So yes, Messrs Steve Hansen, Ian Foster and Grant Fox are lavishly spoiled for choice.

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Alignment

Beauden Barrett – It should be easy to get a 10 to square his hips to the posts, the position from which all things become a possible threat as far as a defence goes. But such simplicity is incredible difficult and is the biggest weakness in Barrett's game. Barrett will keep turning toward the touchline, making it easy for defences to read him. When he had his breakout season in 2016, Wayne Smith spent all year on this aspect of Barrett's game. The following year Barrett reverted to the old, bad ways. It's a huge problem, especially against a rush defence. 5/10

Damian McKenzie – The Chiefs man can get a bit side on occasionally, but for the most part he knows how to play square and how to hold a defence. 7/10

Richie Mo'unga – This is the area where Mo'unga is way ahead of the others and it is what makes him such a natural 10. His hips are square and everything then becomes a threat, particularly given his acceleration and passing ability. Defences are forced to make difficult choices and sooner or later they get it wrong. 10/10

Hands

BB – Barrett's hands aren't great. He won't drop much, but the accuracy of pass, particularly off the left hand, is often suspect. Capable of the odd bit of magic, but the bread and butter can let him down. Any pass that is a bit high or a bit behind checks a move, and Barrett throws too many. 6/10

DM – Accuracy is not the problem, but he will force the odd pass. Vulnerable to interceptions. As Dan Carter said, "You also need to be able to pass and catch. It sounds simple, but how many great players sometimes drop a ball under pressure or misfire passes off their weaker hand." 7/10

RM – Watch how many passes find the target just in front, at the perfect height. He reminds me of Carter, who was one of the great passers. Loses a mark for dropping a pass in the Super play-offs, a mistake that led to a try. 8/10

Tactical kicking

BB – Still prone to naivety, witness the lack of a kicking game in the rain against the Crusaders, but scores well for his ability to kick off either foot. 7/10

DM – Can find surprising length and again decent off the left. 7/10

PHOTOSPORT Richie Mo'unga kicks downfield against the Lions in the Super Rugby final.

RM – Tactically the most astute of the three, but can get rushed, and seems reluctant to use his left when needed. 7/10

Goalkicking

BB – Improved, but not sure the country fully trusts him in the big matches and some blame him for the failure to win the Lions series. 7/10

DM – Decent consistency, but not up in the top echelons of a Jonny Wilkinson. 7/10

RM – Kicked well under pressure in the Super final, but memories of some easy kicks missed in previous seasons still linger. 7/10

Attacking kicking

BB – The master of the cross kick, but doesn't always thrust the dagger from penalties to touch. 8/10

DM – Needs another year and a settled Chiefs 12 to give him good info would help, but is improving. 7/10

RM – Cross kicks not in the class of Barrett, but one of the very best at finding touch close to the line off penalties. 8/10

Defence

BB – Hugely improved, although none of the three compare to Carter. Doesn't miss too many head-on tackles any more and is the backfield master of pushing people towards the touchline and then cutting them down with his pace. 7/10

DM – Not lacking in guts, but can occasionally get spat out under the hooves. 6/10

RM – Despite Razor Robertson's laudatory comments, still the weakness to be worked on. Gets squared up in the backfield (Combrecht did it twice) which makes him an easy beat and still occasionally goes too high in traffic. But not short of bravery. 5/10

Leadership

BB – The All Blacks designate him as a leader, but not sure he is a natural. 7/10

DM – You don't get the sense he is one of the big beasts just yet, but he is still only 23 and this is his first full season in the 10 shirt for a while. 6/10

RM – Hugely valued by the Crusaders both for his midweek input and for his leadership on game day. It was quite a sight seeing him lead the way in the halftime huddle in the Super final. 8/10

Tactical Reading and Communication

BB – Good at spotting the wide holes and gaps in behind, but at times his overall game management can be wonky. Carter always cited Wilkinson as the great reader of a defence and Barrett is a little way off that level. 6/10

DM – A good communicator, but needs to sort out that vulnerability to interception. 6/10

RM – The best at driving his team to where they need to go, but he too can occasionally get picked off when forcing a flat pass. 7/10

Backfield

BB – The modern 10 has to play a lot of his rugby from the backfield and Barrett is the master. Superb under the high ball, he is also a devastating counter-attacker. 10/10

GETTY IMAGES Damian McKenzie, pictured against France in June, is brilliant at counter-attacking from the back.

DM – A brilliant counter-attacker, but still prone to dropping the odd high ball. 8/10

RM – Superb runs from deep in this year's Super final and last year's provincial final show what a threat he can be. But drops the odd high ball and generally prefers to lay the ball off. 7/10

Consistency and Temperament

BB – He doesn't get flustered, but consistency is a worry. When he's good, he's very, very good, but his low is too low. That is why Cruden's percentage wins as a starting All Blacks 10 is higher. 7/10

DM – Never seems to get down which is an asset in someone playing a high risk game. Getting more consistent and a glass half full sort of guy. 7/10

RM – Has lost just one Super Rugby match as a starter over the previous two years. Has a cheerful, egalitarian cockiness. 8/10

TOTALS

Barrett 70

McKenzie 68

Mo'unga 76