Meeuws out of Maori side

By CHRIS RATTUE

Kees Meeuws has been forced out of the Maori side to play Australia in Sydney next Saturday night, and the Highlanders prop faces an anxious wait to see if he will need surgery to his back.

Meeuws, who has been replaced by Blues prop Paul Thomson, is the third player to drop out of the Maori side.

Wing Brad Fleming had earlier been replaced by Rico Gear and Chiefs utility David Hill has come in for All Black Leon MacDonald.

It is a major blow for Meeuws, who could have pushed his case for a return to the test ranks with a strong display at the Sydney Football Stadium.

A scan yesterday revealed that a nagging hip problem was caused by a slipped disc in his back.

Highlanders doctor Simon Mayhew said it was hard to gauge just what lay ahead for Meeuws and whether an operation would be needed, but he would not be able to play for at least a few weeks.

Meeuws, who had sinus and tonsil operations in the off-season, was affected by a badly bruised thigh early in the Super 12 season, and first complained of the hip problem in April.

His injury has left Chiefs prop Deacon Manu as the No 1 tighthead in the Maori squad, with Greg Feek now certain to start at loosehead.

Meanwhile, Carlos Spencer could be a shock selection at fullback for the Maori side after MacDonald's withdrawal. That would leave Glen Jackson at first five-eighths - Jackson played there for the Maori against Scotland last year after Spencer was injured.

Spencer, Hill and Bruce Reihana are the fullback candidates, although none are specialists, while there could be a push for Reihana to stay on the wing because of Fleming's withdrawal.

Coach Matt Te Pou said: "We'll look at the players in training over the next few days and see who is running the best lines and things like that.

"We've had a few injuries, but that's life in football. You just get on with it. One just has to look at the Brumbies. They lost two Wallabies before the final against the Sharks and a Wallaby prop in the first half, and won well."

The Maori - minus their six All Black training squad members - go into camp in Avondale today, with Hurricanes lock Paul Tito and Counties Manukau loose forward Hare Makiri called in to bolster the squad.

The first full squad training will be on Tuesday, with the line-up named on Wednesday.

The team leave for Sydney the following day.

Wallabies coach Rod Macqueen names his line-up on Monday.