Rugby: All Blacks get the Titch test

Cory Jane, Aaron Cruden and Victor Vito warm up during a New Zealand All Blacks training session. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand sevens supremo Gordon Tietjens was pleasantly surprised at the fitness levels shown by some All Blacks contenders on the final day of a two-day training camp in Wellington today but warned some had work to do to get up to speed.

The coach of the nine-times world series champions, Tietjens put the bulk of the 25-strong training squad through their paces at a cold, rainswept park in Newtown and was happy enough in what he saw.

"You certainly saw an imbalance in fitness levels, some are really right up there now and some need to get up there - and they will - but what we did today will certainly be beneficial for them," he said.

"There was a lot of running in that session, probably more than what they've done in the past.

"I certainly wasn't here to have them break down that's for real, but for saying that they certainly worked hard," he said.

Of the active forwards at the camp, only locks Tom Donnelly and Jarrad Hoeata got the Tietjens treatment while the tight forwards underwent their own specialised training and loose forwards Liam Messam, Adam Thomson and Victor Vito, all graduates of the New Zealand sevens school and their training sessions, did not take part.

Tietjens has a reputation of conducting gruelling practices and in the hour-long workout some were stretched to keep up, something that All Blacks coach Graham Henry expected.

"You can see why his team are world champions, why he is the best in the world - he certainly knows how to work the guys and the guys enjoy it. They were buggered obviously, but they got a lot out of it," Henry said.

Hosea Gear, who has been troubled by an ankle injury, limped out of the session, but there was encouraging news about the three injured players at the camp, prop Tony Woodcock, fullback Israel Dagg and utility back Isaia Toeava.

Henry was pleased to report that Woodcock, who has been battling a foot injury, was making good progress which was "a big relief because he's been struggling for some time".

Dagg was on track with his recovery from a ruptured tendon in his right thigh but it was unclear when he would be at 100 percent.

"It is a very unusual injury and there's little history about this injury so we just have to wait and see but he's progressing the way we would hope he was progressing at this stage," said Henry.

Toeava was scheduled to play a couple of matches in late July with the aim to back in the international fold following a hip injury that has sidelined him since early May.

First five-eighths contender Colin Slade was due to play 40 minutes in Canterbury's Ranfurly Shield match against North Otago on Saturday as he continues his recovery from a broken jaw, and was also expected to feature in a national provincial championship pre-season match next week against Wellington.

The All Blacks squad for the Tri-Nations is named on July 10 and their international season opens against Fiji in Dunedin on July 22 and Henry said an extended squad may be named to incorporate those coming back from injury.

"We are just trying to make sure we make good decisions and make sure guys who have an opportunity to play in the Tri-Nations are named.

"There might be one or two guys who are named who can't play initially. We'll look after them and bring in some replacements for them. It's just keeping everyone on the boil really and making sure they are right at the appropriate time,'' Henry said.

A second session with Tietjens was planned at a second training camp next week.

- NZPA