All Blacks: Carter could make early return

Injured All Black Dan Carter has been named in Canterbury's Air NZ Cup squad. Photo / Herald on Sunday

All Blacks coach Graham Henry has opened the door for injured playmaker Dan Carter to make a return to the black jersey sooner than expected.

Carter is running again after recovering from his Achilles tendon injury and has been named in the Canterbury squad for this season's Air New Zealand Cup.

Henry says Carter will not be named in the Tri Nations squad on Saturday, but if he is right to play for Canterbury, the selectors will have a good look at him.

The domestic showpiece gets underway at the end of the month with the All Blacks final three Tri-Nations tests in late August, early September.

Meanwhile, Henry will welcome back some much needed experience for the Tri-Nations and says Sitiveni Sivivatu will be back in action as soon as this weekend. He says Sivivatu will play club rugby over the next couple of weeks while Rodney So'oialo and Andrew Hore will also be back.

The All Blacks coach is also standing by Joe Rokocoko. The beleaguered winger has struggled for form this year, and scored his first try for two years at international level against Italy last weekend.

But Henry has not lost confidence in Rokocoko, believing a return to form is imminent. He says Rokocoko has proved himself at test level in the past and they just hope he can rediscover his touch.

While the All Blacks are eagerly anticipating the return of some senior players, there has been a bombshell across the Tasman with Lote Tuqiri's Australian Rugby Union contract torn up. The ARU will not reveal the reasons for the decision, and will not confirm or deny that it was because of a protocol or code of conduct breach.

Tuqiri has indicated he will take legal action over the issue.

Henry says the news is a blow to the Wallabies. He says Tuqiri is a fine rugby player and they will miss him.

Tuqiri leaves rugby after 67 tests for the Wallabies, with his options at age 29 to play rugby overseas, return to rugby league or retire.

- NEWSTALK ZB