All Blacks: Hansen has more injury concerns

All Blacks first-five Tom Taylor has been ruled out for three weeks with a rib injury following last night's 27-16 win over Australia in Wellington. Photo / Getty Images.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen can be thankful his side don't have a game this weekend.

Hansen has lost another five-eighth after fourth-string pivot Tom Taylor suffered an injury to his ribs during last night's 27-16 win over Australia in Wellington as the All Blacks retained the Bledisloe Cup.

The All Blacks don't play again until September 7 when they host Argentina in Hamilton and Hansen said Dan Carter and Beauden Barrett, who have both been sidelined with calf issues recently, should be available for selection.

"At this stage we are expecting Dan and Beauden to be right, but Colin Slade will come with us to Hamilton,'' Hansen said.

Blindside flanker Liam Messam, who has missed the first two tests of the Rugby Championship with a hamstring issue, could also be in line to return in Hamilton. Taylor will be out for three weeks, while fellow pivot Aaron Cruden (knee) won't be back for at least another fortnight.

Hansen has a couple of other injury concerns with Owen Franks (groin) and Ma'a Nonu (ankle) both feeling sore following last night's game.

Another prop is likely to join the All Blacks squad when they assemble in Hamilton this weekend, while Nonu will go for scans on his ankle during the week.

Australian coach Ewen McKenzie took issue with a handful of refereeing decisions from last night's game and was concerned that players continued to infringe when an advantage was being played.

"Where it becomes a problem is the initial infringement. If the initial infringement is a repeated one at the breakdown then they play advantage and [the next] penalty is offside, the penalty becomes the offside and they don't go back to the original penalty, which might have been a yellow card,'' McKenzie said today. (sun)

McKenzie said after the game he felt Australia were denied a try to hooker Stephen Moore because South African referee Jaco Peype didn't follow his assistant's advice to consult the TMO, while he also believed Kieran Read (professional foul) and Ma'a Nonu (shoulder charge) were lucky not to be sin-binned.

Hansen suggested McKenzie shouldn't throw stones in a glasshouse though.

"He just has to be careful how far he wants to takes it because when they have a good look at it they'll see the Aussies taking us out off the ball and he might find that back fires on him,'' Hansen said.

"Usually you are better to just play the game get on with it and you can't blame the ref.

"Ewen can do what he likes, I guess, but I can sit here and pick holes about how often they took us out, held on to us after the ball was played, obstructed us in the midfield. I could do all of that but I'm not going to.''

Hansen acknowledged the referees have a tough job and it would be best to work with them rather than criticise them. Hansen didn't think Nonu's shoulder charge on Australian prop James Slipper warranted a citing.

Meanwhile, a collection of All Blacks have been made available to their ITM Cup teams for round three this week.

Wellington will have TJ Perenara and Jeremy Thrush for their outing against North Harbour in Wellington on Wednesday, while Francis Saili will be available for Harbour against the Lions and their game on Saturday against Northland in Albany.

Slade and Luke Whitelock could be commissioned for Canterbury against Waikato in Christchurch on Thursday, while Frank Halai will play for Counties Manukau against Tasman on Friday.

Keven Mealamu and Charles Piutau will be available for Auckland on Saturday when they meet Bay of Plenty, who can call upon Sam Cane.

Prop Ben Franks could be in line to make his first appearance for Hawke's Bay when the Magpies meet Otago in a Ranfurly Shield challenge in Dunedin on Sunday.