Rugby: Toeava moves to the centre of All Black calculations

Richard Kahui, at All Black training yesterday, requires shoulder surgery and will be out for at least six months. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Boom utility Isaia Toeava is likely to play centre in the All Blacks' opening test after injuries to Richard Kahui and Conrad Smith eliminated both from the match against France in Dunedin.

Kahui faces season-ending surgery to his left shoulder after he aggravated a longstanding complaint in the Super 14 final while Smith is struggling with a hamstring strain and is rated a very slim chance of being cleared to play at Carisbrook.

The injuries to both specialist centres were the latest blows to hit the test squad which is already without regular captain Richie McCaw, Anthony Boric, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Daniel Carter and Rodney So'oialo while Brendon Leonard, Jerome Kaino and Ali Williams will not suit up for the start of the test programme.

The selectors have also been careful with Tony Woodcock's ongoing recovery, after he missed a large chunk of the Super 14 with a virus, and have kept Owen Franks with the squad as cover. But most of the attention yesterday was on Kahui's latest misfortune.

"It is too bad now to rehab though I hope it is not as bad as I think it will be when they open it up," the downcast centre said.

He revealed that he first damaged his shoulder last season against the Brumbies and had been undergoing extensive physio to get through games until he blew it out making a tackle on Zane Kirschner towards the end of the Super 14 final in Pretoria. A scan this week revealed the need for surgery.

All Black coach Graham Henry said he and his selectors would mull over replacement choices this weekend before announcing a replacement.

Kahui's misfortune opens up the possibility of Anthony Tuitavake being promoted from the Junior All Blacks or the rapid reintroduction of Luke McAlister, who is playing for the Barbarians tonight against the Wallabies in Sydney.

"I feel for the guy," Henry said of Kahui, "it is devastating for him. He has added a lot to the environment, he is a very good footballer, he had a positive start to his career and now he has to wait six months."

The staff were aware Kahui was labouring and he was able to operate at only about 80 per cent with his injury.

There was no point in trying to hide it any more, Kahui's only choice was surgery while Smith was also struggling and might need a couple of weeks to recover.

Those setbacks marred the All Blacks' training camp yesterday in Auckland before the squad reassembles tomorrow in Dunedin.

The centres' misfortune will open the way for Toeava, who was one of the few Blues backs to perform consistently in their Super 14 season. Toeava played centre during the bulk of the 2007 Tri-Nations programme, had a lull and then produced some consistent form on the All Blacks' tour to Hong Kong and Britain last year.

"He is like gold to us really," Henry said of Toeava, "because he can play at 12, 13, wing and fullback and that is very rare. He plays pretty well in all of those positions so it is a big ask for him but he handles it well".

Five-eighths Stephen Donald survived the week which he described as being fairly different after feeling embarrassed in the Super 14 final and then enjoying his All Black callup.

"It was probably a good thing to come back in and straight into it otherwise I would probably have sat at home thinking what went wrong in Pretoria. Coming here is that exciting that everything else seems to have been forgotten now."

Donald was pleased with his game, saying he had worked on a variety of areas where he wanted to improve and had been able to put into practice after touring last year with the All Blacks.

Scrummaging coach Mike Cron has re-signed with the NZRU through to 2011.