By WYNNE GRAY
The race to replace Josh Kronfeld in the All Blacks finds another important checkpoint in Whangarei tomorrow.
Star Northland flanker Justin Collins competes against Counties Manukau No 7 Glenn Marsh in a meeting of two of the best contenders to make the trip to Japan, France and Italy.
The comparison will be an intriguing subplot as Northland look for another victory in their push to be the most successful NPC side outside the Super 12 franchise bases.
After his burst of quality work in the successful Ranfurly Shield defence, Scott Robertson looks primed to retain his All Black place and take over from Kronfeld in the test side.
Kronfeld's decision to quit international rugby will not sway coach Wayne Smith into a last sentimental selection for the end-of-year tour.
There will be no repeat of the 1997 move when the All Blacks took Zinzan Brooke to Britain after he revealed he was quitting test rugby.
"We have got to have a plan to beat France and also a responsibility to find some long-term potential," Smith said yesterday. "At this stage we need some continuity for the next year or two."
Candidates to join Robertson, if he is successful, will be Collins, Marsh, Matua Parkinson, Kupu Vanisi and Andrew Blowers.
The talents of young Wellington loosies Jerry Collins and Rodney So'oialo might also interest the selectors, though that pair is more likely to shoot for the New Zealand A side, whose schedule dovetails with the All Black programme.
Blowers may drop out of the challenge because, like Kronfeld, he is set to play overseas next season.
For the last few weeks, Parkinson has been bothered by a back problem which has not allowed him to play to the standard which won him and Justin Collins places in the NZA side this season.
Collins still has twin options for an international rugby career because that NZA squad did not play a match after the Fiji coup. The flanker has yet to re-sign for New Zealand and is being pursued by Australia - his birth country.
However, his agent, Roger Mortimer, indicated that Collins was more likely to do a deal with the NZRFU.
"Things need to be sorted out quickly and I think there will be some decision in the next week or so," he said.
There was no question Collins wanted to stay with New Zealand and there had been discussions about that in the past fortnight.
Marsh's challenge may have been lost in Counties' first division struggle. He has had enormously high tackle counts each game, has sharp speed, and his continuity skills have become more apparent.
Final decisions have not been made on squads, but it seems the All Blacks are looking to take 26 to Europe, while the same number may be picked for NZA.
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