Carter back for Shield clash

Daniel Carter

Two months after breaking his leg, Daniel Carter will return to rugby to direct Canterbury's final Ranfurly Shield defence of the season.

After several weeks training with the squad, Carter convinced coach Aussie McLean he was primed to start in Saturday's showdown against Auckland.

It was a timely recovery because alternate first five-eighths Cameron McIntyre damaged his ankle in the last round of the NPC and was unable to practise all week.

Carter's selection became inevitable. Even if he was rusty, the All Black's pedigree would be needed in a match which will also determine the top qualifier in the first division.

While the choice about the five-eighths became clear for coach McLean, he faced greater anxiety about his fullback options.

He could stay with incumbent Ben Blair, who had played soundly and kicked superbly for goal, or he could use All Black Leon MacDonald.

That decision will be revealed today. While Carter has also been cleared to goalkick, there is a feeling that Blair will be retained for his goalkicking prowess so Carter can concentrate on his backline direction in his return to top football.

Carter has not played since he cracked his left leg near the end of the All Blacks' 30-13 victory against the Wallabies in Sydney on August 13.

The backline should be further strengthened by shifting Caleb Ralph back to the wing, while the young Andrew Ellis is favoured to win the halfback position.

After his brief suspension, Mose Tuiali'i should be back against his old province to provide a very potent loose forward combination.

There may be a surprise selection in the front row as Wyatt Crockett has impressed at loosehead prop. Otherwise Greg Somerville will switch to that job with Campbell Johnstone as tighthead prop and Corey Flynn reinstated as hooker.

Canterbury have worked hard this week to shore up scrummaging defects which showed in the narrow shield win against Wellington and last week's defeat by Otago.

Somerville thought Canterbury had taken the Wellington pack too lightly, while they had been worked over a few times against Otago.

"There was the odd scrum where we probably struggled," he said of the Otago game. "But I think when compared to the week before, our intensity was back and we wanted to go out there and scrum."

Auckland have front row choices as well, and interest is centred on which of his two All Black hookers - Keven Mealamu or Derren Witcombe - coach Pat Lam will choose to start.

Then there is the small matter of the back five combinations, the who-slots-into-where selection jigsaw involving the utility skills of Angus Macdonald, Bradley Mika, Kurtis Haiu and Jerome Kaino.

The backline poser is about the selection of Mils Muliaina, the All Black fullback who resumed the NPC from the bench last week after a lengthy layoff.

Muliaina will not oust Brent Ward, the goalkicking fullback, and his best chance of a start would be at centre instead of Ben Atiga.

Meanwhile, the weather in Christchurch yesterday was unfriendly and the weekend forecast is not too flattering. Organisers have sold 18,600 tickets and expect a crowd of well over 25,000 for the match.