New Zealand has delayed until Wednesday the naming of its team to play Australia in a Tri-Nations rugby match due to injury concerns within the squad.
Coach Graham Henry said captain and centre Tana Umaga was only a 50-50 chance of taking part in the match on Saturday at the former Olympic stadium in Sydney. Umaga injured ankle ligaments in the All Blacks’ 22-16 loss to South Africa in Cape Town last weekend.
Scrumhalf Byron Kelleher is also in doubt after he was tackled heavily by Springbok lock Victor Matfield and replaced by Piri Weepu in the first 10 minutes of the match.
Kelleher was initially ruled out of the test with a concussion, prompting team management to call uncapped scrumhalf Kevin Senio into the squad.
The 21-year-old Weepu, who has had just one run-on test start against Wales last year, will concede 110 international caps and 11 years of experience to his Australian opposite George Gregan if he starts.
If Umaga is ruled out, Conrad Smith is likely to come into the side while winger Siviteni Sivivatu is also available after missing the Cape Town match.
”I’m pretty positive, as I always am about injuries,” Umaga said on Tuesday. ”I did a couple of laps walking around but it’s day-by-day at the moment.”
Australia, which lost 22-16 to South Africa two weeks ago in the Tri-Nations opener, will also name its team on Wednesday. Tournament-leading South Africa arrives on Friday for its August 20 match against Australia at Perth.
Saturday’s Australia-New Zealand game, which also doubles as a Bledisloe Cup match, is an 80 000-plus sellout at the Olympic stadium. There are only several hundred tickets left for the Perth match. – Sapa-AP