KEY POINTS:
The Blues and Chiefs are prolonging the guessing game about reinstating their All Blacks for the next round of the Super 14.
Both franchises were circumspect with comments yesterday about their selection ideas, the only confirmation being that wing Joe Rokocoko will miss the Blues game on Friday
with the visiting Waratahs because of an ankle injury. Possible replacement Anthony Tuitavake has not recovered fully from his hamstring strain.
Loosehead prop Saimone Taumoepeau is still troubled by his calf injury and that snippet of information opens the way for Tony Woodcock to start in the Blues' front row.
Whether he has Keven Mealamu alongside him at hooker and Ali Williams pushing from the second row will be revealed today.
Coach David Nucifora was giving little away yesterday.
"I won't go there," he said about his All Blacks. "We have got a plan and a little more thinking to do on that."
The Blues' strong start to the competition, the form of the tight five and the lack of matchplay for the protected All Blacks suggest that Mealamu and Williams are stronger candidates to be introduced from the bench.
Such a decision would emphasise the impact the understudies have made in the first half of the competition and allow the test players to be drip-fed into the team plans.
That would allow Derren Witcombe to continue as hooker, with Mealamu bringing an impact later in the Eden Park game. Troy Flavell and Greg Rawlinson have been a vital locking partnership, good enough to force Williams to make an entry from the reserves.
Part of the coaches' strategy will involve their appraisal of which players are best suited to the beginning of a game and which offer added value as substitutes.
There has been a role reversal this season, with the Waratahs struggling with a wretched start to the series just as the Blues did last year. But the Blues are not offering any selection sympathy because of the NSW visitors' predicament. That does not form part of their strategies.
The information from Hamilton about the selection prospects for Byron Kelleher and Sitiveni Sivivatu was equally blurred. The Chiefs do not play the Reds until Saturday in Brisbane and coach Ian Foster will not name his side until Thursday.
"I want to see how they get through a couple of sessions [today], I need to see how they train," he said. "It is a big day and I will make decisions only after that."
Foster and his New Zealand Juniors co-coach, Colin Cooper, signed extended contracts yesterday with the New Zealand Rugby Union. Cooper signed until the end of next year, Foster until the end of 2009.
"Ian will be our Chiefs coach for another two campaigns," chief executive Gary Dawson confirmed.
Foster, who is in his fourth season as coach, said he was passionate about what he was doing. "We are in a tough situation now but there are a lot of variables at this level of coaching.
"For me, it is a chance of having a long-term perspective but I am also pretty dedicated about getting something out of this campaign."
The curiosity for Chiefs followers is all about the returning All Blacks.
Robbed of Mils Muliaina because of the broken bone in his foot, will the coach choose Kelleher and Sivivatu to start this weekend?
Chiefs halfbacks Brendon Leonard and Jamie Nutbrown have been competent and wings Lelia Masaga and Roy Kinikinilau have also impressed.
Even though the Chiefs are at the opposite end of the points table, the selection conundrum is similar to the Blues'. Kelleher would be a powerhouse substitute but Sivivatu could be given the chance to start on the wing or at fullback to increase the firepower the Chiefs hoped they would have had before Soseni Anesi and Muliaina were hurt.
