The All Blacks must play another waiting game over Richie McCaw in the lead-up to Saturday’s Tri-Nations test against Australia but world rugby’s most lethal wing combination has been restored with the return of Doug Howlett.
McCaw and Howlett are the only additions to the team which beat the Pacific Islanders 41-26 at Albany on Saturday but strong doubts once again surrond vice-captain McCaw, 23, whose headaches have returned and prevented him from training on Tuesday.
North Harbour flanker Craig Newby was immediately contacted and joined the squad as cover today after world class openside McCaw showed more symptoms from the concussion suffered in the first test of the year against England more than a month ago.
His condition has been unpredictable since. He missed the second England test and returned to play Argentina on June 26 before headaches ruled him out of the Pacific Islanders game.
Coach Graham Henry had been confident McCaw would be ready to face the Wallabies after the player himself reported he was feeling better over the weekend and completed a light training session on Monday.
However, Tuesday’s development is another step backwards.
”He [McCaw] is not as good as he has been in the last couple of days,” Henry said.
”He’s had headaches from time to time, he just doesn’t feel anywhere near a hundred [percent] and we’re concerned about him.”
Henry said there is no need to seek specialist help as the All Blacks have ”the best doctor in the world” in Graham Paterson.
McCaw’s ability to train fully on Wednesday and Thursday will determine his fate. His perennial replacement, Marty Holah, is training as if he will start on Saturday, Henry said.
Newby will probably take Holah’s place on the bench if a change is needed. Henry is not likely to persevere with last week’s selection where there was no specialist openside cover.
”No disrespect to the Pacific Island team [but] when you play perhaps the best team in the world, you have to have specialists, obviously,” Henry said.
His rating of the Wallabies was confirmed in his mind by their 51-15 win over England two weeks ago.
”They’ve been up there over the last decade, they’ve been world champions twice and I thought they probably played their best game of test match football over the last six weeks or so against England,” Henry said.
He doesn’t think the Wallabies are weakened by the absence of scrumhalf and captain George Gregan.
”I think they’ll use that as motivation. George will be sniffing around, for want of a better term. He’ll be on the sideline, he’ll be motivational and the guy who’s taking his place [Chris Whitaker] is a class act in himself.”
A major boost is the return of Howlett, who scored his 32nd test try against England at Carisbrook before dislocating his shoulder.
Closing in fast is his red hot Auckland and Blues teammate Joe Rokocoko, whose seven tries in four tests this season have lifted his overall tally to 24.
The pair scored a remarkable 31 test tries between them last season and Howlett crossed for the All Blacks’ only two tries in the tight 21-17 defeat of Australia at Eden Park that saw the Bledisloe Cup return to New Zealand for the first time since 1998.
Howlett is relieved to be back after Rico Gear made a good fist of his test debut on the right wing last weekend, but said he was never in with a chance to face the Pacific Islanders.
”It was always the process to spend last week rehabilitating, starting training and then full contact this week,” Howlett said.
Gear has remained with the All Blacks as cover. — Sapa
Team:
Mils Muliaina, Doug Howlett, Tana Umaga (c), Daniel Carter, Joe Rokocoko, Carlos Spencer, Justin Marshall, Xavier Rush, Richie McCaw, Jono Gibbes, Keith Robinson, Chris Jack, Carl Hayman, Keven Mealamu, Kees Meeuws. Reserves: Nick Evans, Sam Tuitupou, Byron Kelleher, Marty Holah, Jerry Collins, Greg Somerville, Andrew Hore.