Rugby: Injury puts hookers out of NPC

By WYNNE GRAY

Both All Black hookers will miss the next round of the NPC.

Anton Oliver has a neck injury and has dropped out of Otago's match with Counties Manukau, and Canterbury's Mark Hammett may not return until the playoffs.

Hammett has had surgery for an adductor muscle problem, an operation which has a recovery period of about six weeks. His absence reduces Canterbury's All Black contingent for tomorrow's game with Auckland.

However, they still have nine All Blacks, two former test players and Fijian wing Marika Vunibaka in their starting XV.

Last week Canterbury coach Robbie Deans eased a group of All Blacks back into action after halftime, but he had no doubts about his selection strategy this time.

"All the All Blacks had to come back.

"They have worked hard this week. There was no way I gave any thought to any of them staying on the bench," he said.

Hammett is the only absentee, giving way to surgery after being troubled with his groin injury during the latter stages of the All Black campaign.

"He could have struggled on and perhaps got through to the end of the tour to France, but it was becoming more uncomfortable so it was best to get it sorted out," Deans said.

In midfield, Deans has moved his new captain Daryl Gibson into second five-eighths to accommodate Mark Robinson at centre.

"I think Mark is a centre. He has played a little further in, but for us his best place is at centre."

Deans has watched plenty of footage of Auckland this year as they went to the top of the points table with three successive wins.

But for tomorrow's game at Eden Park, Deans has concentrated on getting his side organised.

"It may be all about how quickly we can get our combinations going and not so much on dwelling about what Auckland might do," he said.

Auckland: Adrian Cashmore, Orene Ai'i, Eroni Clarke, Craig Innes, Malili Muliaina, Carlos Spencer, Steve Devine, Xavier Rush, Andrew Blowers, Dylan Mika or Mark Carter, Charles Reichelmann, Leo Lafaiali'i, Craig Dowd, Keven Mealamu, Paul Thomson (capt). Reserves: Iliesa Tanivula, Amasio Valence, Ben Meyer, Carter or Stephen Bates, Robin Brooke, Nick White, James Christian.

Canterbury: Leon MacDonald, Marika Vunibaka, Mark Robinson, Daryl Gibson (capt), Caleb Ralph, Andrew Mehrtens, Justin Marshall, Sam Broomhall, Scott Robertson, Reuben Thorne, Norm Maxwell, Todd Blackadder, Greg Somerville, Matt Sexton, David Sexton. Reserves: Mark Mayerhofler, Ben Blair, Billy Fulton, Johnny Leo'o, Chris Jack, Con Barrell, Sean Cuttance.