KEY POINTS:
Captain Richie McCaw is the biggest injury doubt as All Blacks coach Graham Henry looks to name his strongest side to meet Samoa on Wednesday night in New Plymouth in a match being billed as a crucial Tri-Nations decider warm-up.
McCaw is still being bothered by a rib cartilage injury sustained in the victory over South Africa in Cape Town and won't be risked in a match Henry described as a vital part of the build-up for the showdown with the Wallabies in Brisbane in a fortnight.
Lock Brad Thorn (leg) and wing Sitiveni Sivivatu (leg) are the other doubts.
Henry swatted away suggestions a Samoa side consisting mainly of players based in Japan, New Zealand and Samoa might not be ideal preparation for the winner-takes-all match against Robbie Deans' Wallabies.
A weak pool was fingered as one of the reasons for the All Blacks' calamitous loss to France in their World Cup quarter-final in Cardiff but Henry has taken a beggars-can't-be-choosers' attitude towards a fixture that fills an extended gap in his side's calendar.
"We just needed a game," Henry said.
"We didn't have anything for four weeks and Samoa were good enough to play us.
"It is a very important game. We need to get back in the rhythm and the physicality of the game.
"It is also good for Samoa. They are always crying out for international fixtures. And it is good for New Plymouth. The game was sold out in a few hours."
The All Blacks will assemble in New Plymouth tomorrow and Henry will name his team on Monday, following a raft of medical assessments. Most of the side that shut out South Africa 19-0 will be in it.
"We are going to pick the best team available. We are not going to risk anybody who is under an injury cloud but it will be the best team we can put on the track. The majority of the guys who played in Cape Town will play."
He described McCaw's performance in Cape Town as probably his best in an All Blacks shirt but the inspirational captain is one player who definitely won't be risked.
"I would imagine we wouldn't take any risks with him if he is a bit sore."
Rotation, the unpopular mechanism used to build depth ahead of the world cup, appears to have been firmly benched, for now at least.
Over 150 former Super 14 players were now playing overseas, Henry said.
"What we are trying to do now is just keep our head above water and be competitive. The depth building will come with time I guess. [Right now] it is just a matter of trying to win a few test matches, quite frankly.
"Half of the team are new and didn't go to the world cup last year. So to be competing [well] against the best sides in the world is very satisfying.
"The expectation is that we always play to a high standard. That expectation hasn't changed and I'd hate it to change."
