Last chance to see All Blacks

Fancy a final look at the All Blacks before they set off to the World Cup?

Eden Park tomorrow morning is your last chance.

The squad will have a 20-minute run, open to the public at 10am. The rest of the session is closed, as is their workout tomorrow.

The big question on the eve of their departure surrounds the fitness of Auckland lock Ali Williams.

He has a fractured bone in his right foot and the issue is whether he should be taken to Australia, on the basis that he might not be ready for, perhaps, the first two games, against Italy on Saturday night and Canada on October 17, or whether a replacement should be drafted in before the squad leave.

The most logical alternative appears to be Canterbury's Norm Maxwell, who is in strong form, is fully fit and has already played 34 tests between 1999 and last year.

Having no Williams for the opening games of the tournament reduces the All Blacks to just two specialist locks, Chris Jack and Brad Thorn, with captain Reuben Thorne the next best alternative.

The selectors have made no announcement on whether Williams will travel, but the decision has to be made by tomorrow.

While teams tend to play down their World Cup victory hopes, writers at one of Britain's biggest newspaper, The Independent, have voted with their fingers.

Of the eight rugby writers and sports columnists, six plump for the All Blacks, the other two for England. All eight predicted an All Blacks-England final.

The six include chief rugby writer Chris Hewett, a regular correspondent for the Herald.

When asked to nominate their player of the tournament, seven chose All Blacks - four went for winger Doug Howlett, two for first five-eighth Carlos Spencer and one for second five-eighth Aaron Mauger.

The odd man out, with one vote, was England halfback Matt Dawson.