McCaw's replacements go on trial
Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:11
The main contenders to replace injured All Black captain Richie McCaw will go on trial in a series of matches at the weekend.
All Black coach Graham Henry confirmed McCaw will only be replaced once the national selectors and their agents had scoured a mix of matches.
The main contenders for promotion are Daniel Braid, Tanerau Latimer, Chris Masoe and Liam Messam - whose fitness and form will be judged in an array of fitness tests, club matches and work for the New Zealand Maori against Japan in an International Rugby Board (IRB) Pacific Nations Cup clash in Napier.
"We will be watching some games and judging the availability of players, but there will be no updates on where we are going until we have had all those reports in," Henry told the New Zealand Herald.
"We have got a real challenge on our hands finding someone and then matching up against the Boks in Wellington [on July 5], but that's the way it is."
McCaw is expected to miss the All Blacks first four Tri-Nations Tests - against the Springboks (July 5 and 12) and Wallabies (July 26 and August 2), after suffering a severe ankle strain in last Saturday's 44-12 second Test victory against England.
His absence means the squad is without a specialist openside flank, while Rodney So'oialo is likely to be chosen as interim captain.
Meanwhile Henry told the newspaper that injured lock Ali Williams was making progress after spraining his ankle early in the same Test against England last weekend.
"He is apparently coming along all right but the big test will be when he tries to get some work into the ankle during the week," Henry told the NZ Herald.
Several locks would be monitored in case they needed to be brought into the squad.
Those in most recent high calibre action have been former All Blacks Jason Eaton and Ross Filipo, who teamed up for the Maori last weekend in the win against Samoa.
