Medical tests and intuition will be crucial selection components before the All Black touring squad is announced on Sunday.

Taranaki rugby wing Andre Taylor will miss the rest of the ITM Cup after having emergency surgery to repair a ruptured bowel.

Several underdone All Blacks may play for their provinces in the final round of the ITM Cup before they link up with their teammates in Hong Kong.

North Harbour's leaky defence provided Wellington with a feast of second-half ball as they ran out 52-23 winners in a national provincial championship rugby match at Albany today.

Auckland kept alive their semifinals aspirations with a 37-13 win over ITM Cup rugby rivals Counties-Manukau at Pukekohe.

Two tries in the closing seven minutes secured Taranaki a 30-16 bonus try win over Manawatu.

The All Black selectors seem hell-bent on taking as many World Cup prospects as they can to Europe - but who is the best choice to back-up number seven ?

Gareth Anscombe, teenage son of Auckland coach Mark Anscombe, will be under the spotlight tonight when he puts on the no.10 jersey.

Southland's Ranfurly Shield run has been a 'beacon of hope' for a battered province. Will the dream run end tonight?

Sonny Bill Williams will be a protected species this weekend but another of rugby's prized possessions remains under threat.

Canterbury welcome back hooker Corey Flynn for their ITM Cup match and Ranfurly Shield challenge against Southland on Saturday.

The Wellington rugby side is confident it will have All Black Ma'a Nonu back to play for them on Saturday week.

Southland rugby officials have reminded security guards to be mindful of player safety on Saturday night.

For the second time in three weeks the Ranfurly Shield will be contested between the top two teams in the ITM Cup.

After 80 minutes there was just a lick of paint on the uprights to separate Counties Manukau from North Harbour.