All Whites defender Dane Ingham has been sent home from the team camp in Auckland, due to fitness issues.
In a move that coach Anthony Hudson admitted was unprecedented in his career, the young fullback was asked to leave after failing a series of fitness and conditioning tests.
Ingham was a surprise selection for the games against Fiji in March, and then started two matches at the Confederations Cup, against Mexico and Portugal.
But he has arrived in camp out of shape, and paid the price under Hudson's strict new standards, which saw regulars Clayton Lewis and Bill Tuiloma miss selection for similar reasons.
It's understood All Whites management had concerns when Ingham's body fat test on Monday didn't meet the expected standards, and those concerns were confirmed when Ingham failed to complete a beep test.
