All Blacks: Woodcock battling back injury

All Blacks prop Tony Woodcock is hoping to be for fit for next week's test against England. Photo / Getty Images

MILAN - All Blacks rugby coach Graham Henry has revealed his top prop Tony Woodcock is struggling with a back injury, but hopes he'll be fit to face England on November 21.

Henry said 59-test veteran Woodcock wasn't considered for selection to face Italy here on Sunday (NZT), due to the injury which had troubled him since the Tokyo test against the Wallabies on October 31.

"If he hadn't been suspended he still wouldn't have played (against Wales last weekend)," Henry said.

"He's got a niggling back and he probably could have played this week if we pushed it.

"There's no concern about the future, it was just a logical decision not to play him in this game because he could have aggravated it and been out for the next two."

It meant props Wyatt Crockett and Neemia Tialata got a second consecutive test together in the front row.

That resulted in John Afoa again being relegated to the bench and Henry admitted he still needed to bring his scrummaging up to test standard.

"John's probably the best athlete outside the scrum in the props, but the major reason why you prop is that you scrum well and he has got a couple of challenges there which he needs to work on.

"Neemia's the one guy who's got quality on both sides of the scrum which means that he's virtually got to be in the 22 every week we play."

- NZPA