All Blacks: Hooker and halfback backups face chop

All Blacks coach Graham Henry. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The All Blacks selectors will seriously consider ditching a backup hooker and halfback from their year-end tour squad to make room for more rugby World Cup fringe contenders.

Coach Graham Henry wishes he could name more than 30 in his squad for the five-test tour to Hong Kong and Europe given his desire to expose World Cup hopefuls to the touring and test environment.

Henry said the prospect of taking just two hookers and two halfbacks was a genuine option. Usually three players are taken on tours in both specialist positions because an injury close to a test kickoff can leave no time to call up a replacement from New Zealand.

However, the veteran coach admitted taking backups was a luxury that limited options in other positions.

"It's just there's so many players that we think need an opportunity, taking three hookers and three halfbacks will decrease that possibility," he told NZPA.

"(Prop) John Afoa can play hooker, that could come into the equation. Maybe there's another back in the squad who can play halfback at a pinch."

Henry said it was "a possibility" that young first five-eighths Aaron Cruden and Colin Slade could both tour as backups to first-choice No 10 Daniel Carter.

There may also be a desire to bolster the loose forward stocks in the ongoing search for a flanker lieutenant to captain Richie McCaw.

Those who may suffer include halfback Alby Mathewson - regarded as the No 3 behind Jimmy Cowan and Piri Weepu - and hooker Corey Flynn, who is rated behind Keven Mealamu and Andrew Hore.

Adding to that selection poser, Hore hasn't played since dislocating his shoulder late in the Super 14 and will probably have one game at best to prove his readiness to tour.

Henry said Hore was scheduled to return for Taranaki's national provincial championship match against Wellington on October 16, a day before the tour squad is unveiled.

Waikato winger Sitiveni Sivivatu is another racing time, with his return earmarked for a week before Hore, five months after undergoing shoulder surgery.

"We're hopeful. Obviously they're both going to have to play a wee bit and they're on a tight schedule. But we're keeping close contact, our medical staff are doing the same and hopefully we'll get a positive result."

There was better news for Henry yesterday, when a text from Carter assured him he was recovering well from last month's ankle surgery.

"We're hoping that he'll play a game before we go away," Henry said.

"The ankle's good but it still needs a wee bit more manipulation - it's a wee bit stiff. He's very pleased with where it's at."

- NZPA