Gibbes gets green light

Jono Gibbes will start at blindside flanker in the first test against Ireland before dropping to the bench in the second test in Auckland.

The Herald on Sunday understands that Gibbes and Troy Flavell have been told by the All Black selectors that they believe both players could be accommodated in next year's 30-man All Black squad.

That vote of confidence has helped the 29-year-old Gibbes put aside thoughts of taking up a big-money contract to play overseas. A number of clubs, including Saracens and the Ospreys, were hoping to lure Gibbes, but the Chiefs skipper will remain in New Zealand unless he falls out of favour with the test selectors.

Gibbes has been told by the selectors to continue the form he was showing in the Chiefs' final games where he led from the front with crushing defence, sound aerial work and some bruising ball-carrying.

He has been told that his leadership and seamless ability to switch between lock and flanker could be invaluable at a World Cup.

As Flavell is understood to have been told much the same thing, it would seem that the selectors may be leaning towards taking only three specialist locks to France next year, with Gibbes and Flavell providing cover for both the middle and back rows.

Hearing that he features so strongly in future plans has been a major fillip for Gibbes, who made the 26-man squad to play the Lions last year before a serious foot injury kept him out of the Tri Nations and end-of-season tour.

During his enforced absence, Auckland's Angus Macdonald made an encouraging test debut at blindside and Flavell firmly planted himself back on the radar with some big games for the Blues.

More niggling injuries prevented Gibbes from making much of an impact in the early rounds of this year's Super 14 and it appeared as if he was slipping down the rankings and veering towards signing with the Ospreys.

But he finished the season strongly, delivering outstanding performances against the Waratahs and Blues to prove he still has the fire and athleticism required to play at the top level.

The presence of Gibbes in Hamilton will take some of the pressure off newly anointed skipper Richie McCaw, who will also play a week later at Eden Park.

With Henry of the belief that no one should play three tests in consecutive weeks, it would be a surprise if McCaw is also asked to start against Argentina on June 24. That would pave the way for Aaron Mauger to skipper the team against Argentina, having previously led the All Blacks in a non-test game against the Barbarians in 2004.

And that is probably where the intrigue will end as the presence of Clarke Dermody, David Hill, Marty Holah, Greg Rawlinson, Craig Newby, Jerome Kaino and Jimmy Cowan at an All Blacks-Junior All Blacks-Maori training session at Waitakere Stadium on Thursday answered many of the key questions about the squad's likely make-up.

If Hill, an All Black tourist in 2001, is indeed confirmed in the 24 today, it would be a personal triumph for the 27-year-old but raises bigger questions about the depth at first-five.

While Hill has looked the most composed and threatening of all the aspiring contenders, it is thought he has signed for Bristol.

With all this rotation geared towards building a brighter future, Henry would have no doubt preferred to have been able to select either Stephen Donald or Jimmy Gopperth as back-up to Luke McAlister.

Both Donald and Gopperth have recently starred for the Colts and the Junior All Blacks and they both hinted at big things last year.

But during last year's NPC, flaws became apparent in both of their games and neither player advanced their cause in the Super 14.

Donald struggled kicking out of hand and was a little laboured in his thinking, while Gopperth stood a little too deep and had a tendency to run laterally, eating up space outside him.

It is likely that both players will be named in the Junior All Blacks, as will Simms Davison, the Chiefs prop who grew in stature during the Super 14 and must be pushing hard for a place in the full squad.

Bernie Upton, the abrasive lock from the Bay of Plenty, is another who will probably hear his name read out in the Junior All Blacks today, despite enjoying a strong campaign with the Chiefs.

Jono Gibbes

Teams: Chiefs and Waikato
Position: Lock/Flanker
Age: 29
Height: 1.94m
Weight: 112kg
Place of Birth: Auckland
Education: Te Awamutu College and Waikato Polytech
Favourite player: Duane Monkley
Tests: 8 (debut vs England, 2004)
Super rugby: 56 (debut vs Waratahs, 2001)