All Blacks: Anxious wait for injured duo

Kieran Read and fellow loose forward Adam Thomson will have scans in Christchurch after the team head home later today. Photo / Getty Images

All Blacks coach Graham Henry is hopeful influential No 8 Kieran Read will at least play a limited role in the rugby World Cup after he suffered an ankle injury during New Zealand's concession of the Tri-Nations title.

Read and fellow loose forward Adam Thomson, who hyper-extended an elbow early in the first half of the 20-25 loss to the Wallabies here last night, will have tournament-defining scans in Christchurch after the team head home later today.

Henry would not be drawn on his contingency plans if Read, who has been diagnosed with a high ankle sprain, and/or Thomson were ruled out of the World Cup, which starts on September 9 when the All Blacks play Tonga at Auckland.

"We're pretty positive really about Kieran. The doctor (Deb Robinson) thinks he'll be able to play in the World Cup. It may be a slow start for him but really I'm only speculating. I'm hopeful," he said today.

Henry was less optimistic about utility Thomson's prospects.

"It doesn't look good, we'll just have to wait and see."

Henry would not speculate on who would be called in if either loose forward required replacing in the original 30-man squad.

Liam Messam, who had his World Cup dreams dashed after an unconvincing performance when the All Blacks lost to South Africa in Port Elizabeth last weekend, shapes as a potential beneficiary.

Read was replaced by Victor Vito, who was selected ahead of Messam, in the 12th minute. Thomson was injured about the same time but persevered to late in the first half.

He was substituted after missing a tackle on a try-bound Radike Samo.

Henry admitted he was initially unaware of the severity of the Thomson's injury and, with the benefit of hindsight, Sam Whitelock should have switched to the blindside flank earlier.

Read would rank only behind Daniel Carter and Richie McCaw among the pecking order of players Henry could ill afford to lose before or during the World Cup.

In an ominous sign Read's All Blacks and Crusaders teammate Whitelock suffered a high ankle sprain while playing the Sharks at Twickenham on March 27, a setback that ruled him out of the Super 15 season until June.

McCaw, who also needed treatment during the Wallabies' ferocious opening stanza, emphasised Read's importance to their combination with Jerome Kaino, who was rested from last night's test.

"Kieran's a big loss. He's a hell of a good player when he's fit and running around," McCaw said.

"That's the challenge you get in rugby isn't it? When guys get injured," he said when asked about the significance of Read's potential long-term unavailability.

- NZPA