Rugby: McAlister will shine with more game time

Luke McAlister. Photo / Getty Images

Those who write injury-prone Luke McAlister off as a busted flush would get short shrift from former All Black great Jeff Wilson.

McAlister is recovering from his latest fitness scrape, an ankle injury suffered at North Harbour training this week. However he should be fit for the All Blacks' tour of the Northern Hemisphere, if selected, when it is named on Sunday.

And while the gifted if erratic McAlister has his share of critics, North Harbour co-coach Wilson won't hear of it.

"It's crazy to write him off," Wilson said yesterday. "Rugby is a confidence game and all top players at some point go through a low in their careers. He just needs to get some time under his belt."

And that's the nub of the problem. McAlister returned to the Harbour backline and made a positive contribution, including one try, in their 28-7 win over Bay of Plenty last weekend.

Then came the training mishap, which means if picked he won't have any more game time ahead of the six-match All Black tour.

"I feel sorry for him. It's a difficult situation. Injuries do that and I strongly believe if he could get four or five games on the trot we'd see him really start to shine," Wilson said.

"We all know what he's capable of, he's just had a wretched run with injuries and those things are sometimes out of your control."

Wilson, and Harbour, could have done with a fit McAlister for their trip to Wellington tomorrow.

They had already lost captain Anthony Tuitavake to a persistent pelvic injury when centre George Pisi badly damaged a shoulder against Bay of Plenty. McAlister would have provided quality cover.

Instead, regular wing Rudi Wulf moves in a spot alongside the returning Andrew Mailei at No 12, back from a two-week suspension, among seven changes to the starting lineup.

First choice openside flanker Tom Chamberlain has a lower back injury and must pass a fitness test today, or his place will go to Scott Uren.

But the presence of All Black prop Tony Woodcock is a welcome boost. He'll be up against international front row chum Neemia Tialata tomorrow.

Both Woodcock and Harbour captain Anthony Boric have signed new contracts to stay with the union, and the Blues, Boric putting his mark on the deal yesterday.

They had been courted by the Chiefs and Boric said it would have been "silly not to look at all options".

"But I always wanted to stay here and I'm happy it's been resolved."

Halfback Piri Weepu returns to the Wellington side after missing several weeks with an ankle injury.

Waikato are unchanged for the third straight week as they chart what at one point seemed a highly improbable course for the semifinals.

They host Northland tomorrow night, with prop Nathan White set for his 50th game for the province. Four straight wins have lifted Waikato to fifth, two points behind Southland, who sit in the last playoff spot.Teams, see Results