All Blacks unleashed on NPC
All Black coach Steven Hansen released 10 players from the national team to play for their national provincial championship teams in the next week.
None of the released players, apart from Auckland fullback Charles Piutau and Canterbury flyhalf Colin Slade, were involved in the 27-16 victory over Australia in Wellington on Saturday.
That pair made late appearances off the reserve bench.
The All Black squad on Sunday disassembled for a week, after maintaining their stranglehold on the Bledisloe Cup at the weekend.
Hansen will re-assemble the team in Hamilton next weekend to prepare for their next Rugby Championship Test, against Argentina on Saturday 7 September.
The players available to play NPC matches this week are as follows:
* TJ Perenara, Jeremy Thrush (Wellington) and Francis Saili (North Harbour) for their match in Wellington on Wednesday 28 August. Saili will also be available for North Harbour's match against Northland in Auckland on Saturday 31 August.
* Colin Slade and Luke Whitelock for Canterbury v Waikato, Christchurch, Thursday 29 August.
* Frank Halai for Counties Manukau v Tasman, Auckland, Friday 30 August.
* Keven Mealamu, Charles Piutau (Auckland) and Sam Cane (Bay of Plenty) for their match at Eden Park on Saturday 31 August.
* Ben Franks for Hawke's Bay v Otago, Dunedin, Sunday 1 September.
