All Blacks: Dagg's return squeezes out Gear

Victor Vito (left), Zac Guildford and Dan Carter ponder the next few weeks as the New Zealand All Black team is named for the Rugby World Cup. Photo / Getty Images

Israel Dagg's response to the World Cup selection heat has amazed his All Black coaches.

Now he is pressing senior fullback Mils Muliaina and the wings for a repeat start against the Wallabies on Saturday in the Tri-Nations title decider.

Dagg grabbed his solitary tournament chance at Port Elizabeth without a stutter, more than four months after tearing his thigh muscle from the bone in a freak mishap.

The fullback's display against the Boks forced a rejig that squeezed Hosea Gear out of a group pencilled in for the seventh global tournament.

"To me Israel was the dark horse," backline coach Wayne Smith conceded.

"He was probably the one I was not counting on and in many ways that probably cost Hosea his opportunity."

The other change was more a case of utility loose forward Liam Messam playing himself out or not doing enough to convince the panel he was the answer.

So after being a late callup for the trip and getting 11 minutes' work from the bench against the Boks, Victor Vito ended up going from the ITM to the World Cup.

"If anything I am still sucking it in, it is surreal," he said yesterday.

Coach Graham Henry said Adam Thomson's ability to cover openside and the intention to use captain Richie McCaw for most of the tests meant Vito ousted Messam as No 8 and lineout cover.

When Dagg, Isaia Toeava, Richard Kahui and Tony Woodcock all survived what was a fitness and form test in South Africa, they were included, while Anthony Boric got a medical clearance to be chosen as the fourth lock ahead of Jarrad Hoeata.

Henry mentioned that the last five places or so had been up for debate.

"Players were very aware about those issues and it created a wee bit of anxiety and mental pressure to perform."

Henry liked the vast experience throughout the side but also the youthful vitality of outside backs such as Zac Guildford, Cory Jane, Toeava and Dagg.

Colin Slade was a five-eighths who also handled the backfield duties and his allround skills shaded Aaron Cruden in the race to back up Daniel Carter.

The coach had been most taken by Dagg's return. The media audience were also stunned when Henry ended the session with an unintentional double-entendre.

Competition rules demanded three halfbacks and three hookers were picked and "when I come back in the next world I want to be a hooker", the coach revealed.

Dagg's selection push amazed Henry, who has seen a fair bit of talent in his two decades of international coaching.

"He had a horrendous injury which we had very little history of and the medical staff were struggling to say when he would be right.

"He has played 60 minutes of ITM Cup and he was probably the star of the test match in Port Elizabeth at the weekend. So that speaks volumes for his head.

"Obviously, he's a bloody good athlete. It speaks volumes for how he can get himself into that state to play at that level in that period of time, it is amazing.

"Is he a starting winger? He may be a starting fullback."

His provincial teammate Guildford had shown his character, too, by clawing his way back to his best this season.

"I saw 2011 as a fresh start and knew I had to build my work rate," he said.

Now, like the other 29 players, he had to regroup and work hard through the next two months.

McCaw was reunited with the side after his bye week and already urging discipline and concentration for the Tri-Nations decider.

"It is very important for our confidence going into the World Cup."