Rugby: Cane set to replace McCaw

Bay of Plenty and Chiefs teammates Sam Cane and Brodie Retallick are among 38 players named in the All Blacks wider training group yesterday for two camps to be held at Mt Maunganui ahead of the three tests against France in June.

The first training camp begins this Sunday through to Tuesday, with the second camp the following week from May 26-28.

Cane and Retallick are favoured to make the final cut for the upcoming test matches. With All Blacks captain Richie McCaw unavailable, Cane has the inside running for the openside flanker's jersey after the former Tauranga Boys' College star was McCaw's understudy throughout 2012.

Retallick has played 13 tests for the All Blacks and has been in fine form in the well-performed Chiefs pack.

All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen said the two camps would give the All Blacks management team a valuable head start in their early on-field preparations for the three tests against France.

"The camps will give us the opportunity to prepare a foundation on which we can grow our game throughout the Steinlager Series," Hansen said.

"As it did last year, it will also give us a small window of opportunity to introduce some young players into the ways of the All Blacks and allow both these players and All Blacks management to get to know each other a little better."

Hansen said while the bulk of the squad would come from the 38 players going to the camps, it didn't mean those players not attending were out of the picture.

All Blacks training squad

Blues: Frank Halai *, Steven Luatua *, Keven Mealamu, Charles Piutau *, Rene Ranger, Francis Saili *, Piri Weepu and Ali Williams.

Chiefs: Ben Afeaki *, Sam Cane, Aaron Cruden, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Liam Messam and Brodie Retallick.

Hurricanes: Beauden Barrett, Dane Coles, Ben Franks, TJ Perenara *, Julian Savea, Brad Shields *, Conrad Smith, Jeff Toomaga-Allen * and Victor Vito.

Crusaders: Dominic Bird *, Daniel Carter, Wyatt Crockett, Israel Dagg, Owen Franks, Kieran Read, Luke Romano, Tom Taylor * and Sam Whitelock.

Highlanders: Hosea Gear, Andrew Hore, Ma'a Nonu, Aaron Smith, Ben Smith and Tony Woodcock.

* denotes uncapped player.