All Blacks: Carter shapes up for 60th test

Dan Carter is unlikely to be warming the bench when Saturday night's test match kicks off in Sydney. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Champion five-eighths Daniel Carter moved into the second phase of his All Black return yesterday when he boarded a transtasman flight with the Bledisloe Cup squad for Saturday's rematch in Sydney.

Step three in Carter's comeback from Achilles tendon surgery will be whether he is chosen to start his 60th test or is picked in the reserves as backup for Stephen Donald. That decision will be revealed tomorrow.

The idea of Carter on the bench seems unlikely given his once-in-a-generation talents and the way he has slotted back into rugby, even if that comeback has only been three games at the lower levels of the national championship.

After the latest round of that competition, All Black coach Graham Henry unveiled his squad, which reclaimed Carter and utility Tamati Ellison but omitted Hosea Gear, Neemia Tialata and the injured Piri Weepu.

Recent playing rosters and comments from the selectors suggest there may be three changes at the most to the All Black side who fell to their most recent 31-19 defeat in Durban.

There will be a great deal of discussion about Rodney So'oialo or Kieran Read for No 8, the Carter-Donald option and whether Joe Rokocoko's weekend form for Auckland was enough for him to retain his place ahead of Cory Jane.

Some of the travelling choices were simplified because of long-term injuries to Keven Mealamu and Bryn Evans, while Isaia Toeava has only returned to rugby after a stress fracture in his foot.

Weepu's ankle injury offered a reprieve for Brendon Leonard and Wyatt Crockett has jumped ahead of Tialata in the list of preferred props.

Carter has been something of a talisman since the first of his 59 test appearances in 2003. He has played in only seven All Black defeats - three against the Wallabies, three against the Springboks and the last World Cup quarter-final loss to France.

Meanwhile, the Wallabies are expected to introduce two new players this weekend after losing their initial transtasman duel 22-16 at Eden Park.

Teenage sensation James O'Connor should step in at fullback with Adam Ashley-Cooper pushing forward to centre to replace injured skipper Stirling Mortlock.

The captain's armband is expected to go to George Smith while he will get a loose forward boost with the return of Rocky Elsom so Richard Brown can shift to No 8 instead of the under-performing Wycliff Palu.

Those choices will be revealed tomorrow as pressure mounts, probably for the first time in Australia, on coach Robbie Deans.

His side, like the All Blacks, are coming off two straight defeats and there have been rising questions about the Wallabies' style and selection. Criticism has been pointed at the lack of bite in the pack and the exaggerated amount of kicking from the backs.

For either Henry or Deans there will be the inevitable and unpalatable post-match questions into the causes of their team's third loss with both due to then meet the Boks in their next test.

Meanwhile, Wallaby five-eighths Matt Giteau has recovered from the leg injuries which eliminated him from training last week. He is preparing himself for the tactical and individual challenge from Carter.

"I'm sure he will have a huge influence for them," Giteau said in Sydney. "I consider him probably the best first five-eighths in world rugby."