All Blacks: Tight race for loose hopefuls

All Black loosies Liam Messam (L), Adam Thomson (C) and Kieran Read are battling for a place in the Tri-Nations squad. Photos / Getty Images

It will be a rugby selection scrap as intense as it is internal when New Zealand's three rising loose forward talents combine to combat France on Saturday.

A genuine battle within a battle will unfold on Carisbrook when Liam Messam, Adam Thomson and Kieran Read pack down on the back and side of the New Zealand scrum.

While victory will be foremost in their minds, all will be conscious that the right to squeeze into next month's Tri-Nations squad is at stake.

Captain Richie McCaw and No 8 Rodney So'oialo are poised to return from injury to face Australia and South Africa from next month while the bruising Jerome Kaino will probably overcome a knee niggle to be fit for next week's second French test in Wellington.

Chiefs dynamo Messam, Highlanders athlete Thomson and Crusaders workhorse Read were arguably New Zealand's premier loosies during the Super 14 - having all performed on the blindside flank - and will be desperate to extend their fledgling test careers.

Forwards coach Steve Hansen admitted some tricky selection issues loomed beyond this week.

"Everybody knows there is an importance about this performance on Saturday," Hansen said.

"We're not saying anything regarding selections for the next test until we get this one out of the way. Their performance will determine how we respond to that."

The loose forwards reprise the starting combination that played against Scotland at Edinburgh last November, where both Messam and Read made their debuts.

Of the trio, who boast just 13 caps between them, Thomson seems most likely to keep his spot throughout this year.

Hansen said the lanky 26-year-old had been identified as the man to back up McCaw when the skipper is injured or - quite possibly this year - rested.

"There isn't anybody who has put their hands up and said 'I'm going to be another Richie McCaw' so we started to look outside the square and we believe this guy can do the job," Hansen said.

"Obviously if we think Adam's going to be the man then we've got to grow him and give him every opportunity that we can. Richie seems to be doing that on his own at the moment."

Last year Thomson started twice on the openside - against Samoa and Scotland - and twice on the blindside while making five fleeting appearances off the bench.

He wasn't always impressive and by the end of New Zealand's tour to Hong Kong and Europe, Hansen admitted the woolly-haired forward had dropped from favour.

However, his improved physicality and continued lineout prowess for the Highlanders made an irresitable case for his retention.

"We were struggling to find a place for him if everybody came through the Super 14 playing particularly well at six," Hansen said.

"He went away and worked on the areas we wanted him to work on and we started seeing the skill set of a seven.

"We wanted him to get a lot stronger over the ball, a lot more aggressive with his breakdown work too, and his cleanout. The law changes also suit him.

"By halfway through the Super 14, his form was such that he was going to be very hard to leave out of the All Blacks."

Hansen also wanted to see Thomson improve as a "character" but wouldn't divulge what he meant.

"There's a certain type of person that we want in our team. We've always preached that better people make better All Blacks and he's done a remarkable job in that area too," he said.

"We want people who have got character and want to put the team first.

"He's put his hands up at the Highlanders franchise and been one of the leaders in their group. We've been very impressed with him."

Loose forward isn't the only position soon to slide under the selection microscope.

Lock Ali Williams and halfback Brendon Leonard may well have shrugged off injury by next week, loading pressure on debut lock Isaac Ross and combative No 9 Jimmy Cowan.

The health of prop Tony Woodcock will also be closely monitored on Saturday, with any sign of his ear infection clearing the way for a debut to loosehead Wyatt Crockett - the only member of the All Blacks' 26-man squad to miss selection yesterday on form grounds.

- NZPA