A desire to keep an even workload across the Fast5 Ferns squad has seen skipper Casey Williams scratched from this weekend's tournament.
Williams tweaked her ankle in last week's final Quad Series game against Australia in Hamilton, with Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit named to replace her.
Coach Wai Taumaunu saidwhile it will give Williams time to rest up her leg injury, the main focus is the ankle.
"Completely different and not major but just enough that we would have had to have continued to manage her and with just 10 players, that creates a workload for the other defenders that I felt was not going to be tenable during Fast5.''
Taumaunu said while Williams has had some bad luck in recent times with injuries, there's no need to be worried long term.
"She was really keen, she wanted to lead her team in Fast5 for the first time in New Zealand. (I've just) thought that's not a tenable option for the whole team so I don't think we need to be worried. She's an athlete, she's getting older, but we look after her all the time and we'll continue to do so.''
