Rugby: Three wise men facing the injury list

Sam Whitelock. Photo / Getty Images

The new ad has the Three Wise Men sitting at the bus stop, offering a "how convenient" punchline when they get an updated All Black injury list.

Henry, Smith and Hansen tot up the numbers and note that they have only a few players underlined with red warning notes.

That lot includes Sam Whitelock, Andy Ellis and Isaia Toeava who are on lengthy standdowns while there are hovering question marks about Ben Franks' back injury.

The best five-eighths in the world, and the core to this year's World Cup campaign, Daniel Carter is missing again this weekend because of hamstring problems, but there is no anxiety asterisk next to his name.

A dozen of the 29 who went on the end-of-year tour to Europe are sidelined through injury and missing from this weekend's round of games.

A further nine, including Mils Muliaina and Richie McCaw, have had time out to mend or take a breather like No 8 Kieran Read.

From the rest who have played through the season, only hookers Keven Mealamu and Andrew Hore are All Black certainties, others such as Liam Messam and Joe Rokocoko would seeem to be borderline selections.

The Blues have spoken about their intentions to rest Mealamu and how they have scaled back his involvement this week to acknowledge his workload.

While the All Black panel were never going to repeat their controversial rest-and-rotation theme from 2007 - not in name anyway - they had reached arrangements with the franchise coaches about spelling top players.

Where possible they wanted to tack a week of rest either side of a bye as a break away from the game while time out through injury served a similar purpose.

The Super 15 has a longer schedule, but squad numbers have also increased. So far so good, although squads like the Blues are creaking with their rising injury numbers which puts more heat on some to continue playing.

Plenty of last year's All Black tourists have been dinged but many have recovered or, like Conrad Smith, Anthony Boric and Ma'a Nonu, are on the cusp of a return.

If we were a month further down the track and faced with a similar casualty list, Henry's mobile eyebrows might be doing some more dancing.

Most positions have a number of World Cup contenders. Those which are not so flush are first five-eighths and lock.

There is a notion that Colin Slade might be fit for a return in the last round of Super 15 after his second broken jaw. Medical advice and his state of mind will answer whether he is ready to start this season's third challenge to be Daniel Carter's deputy.

Meanwhile the form of other contenders will be monitored. Stephen Brett, Stephen Donald, Mike Delany and Aaron Cruden will all get the inspection.

There will be serious inquiries about the health and welfare of utility backups Luke McAlister and Piri Weepu.

McAlister has shown a solid line of progress with his goalkicking and general play but is on the damaged roster, while Weepu has yet to make the starting grid.

Whitelock is in locking rehab after ankle surgery where Thorn and Boric are also parked with hamstring issues. That trio were All Black tourists last year with Donnelly who has not been able to force a permanent start with the Highlanders.

Other locks on the horizon?

We can say Ali Williams has resumed his season after a hamstring strain, he has a stack of experience but no great form yet.

Isaac Ross is being used from the bench for the Chiefs, Chris Jack has made a plea or three about an international revival and Jason Eaton has displayed flashes of his former self.

The Highlanders' pairing of Josh Bekhuis and Jarrad Hoeata has brought a savage edge to their work, the sort of impression which offers an alternative and backup should Thorn ... Don't mention it, okay, not even in jest.

The damaged dozen

2010 end-of-year tourists on the injury list

Dan Carter - hamstring

Conrad Smith - broken nose

Anthony Boric - hamstring

Ma'a Nonu - fractured eye socket

Sam Whitelock - ankle

Brad Thorn - hamstring

Isaia Toeava - hip

Andy Ellis - broken thumb

Tony Woodcock - foot

Ben Franks - back

Daniel Braid - neck

Cory Jane - hamstring