All Blacks: Henry in contact with globetrotting Williams

All Black coach Graham Henry has been in touch with Sonny Bill Williams, suggesting the globetrotting code-swapper is getting closer to moving back to New Zealand - and possibly to an All Black jersey.

Williams is in his second season at Toulon after paying A$750,000 when he fled his league contract with the Bulldogs in Sydney.

He has been used mainly in midfield at his French rugby club while there have been regular noises about him wanting to play for the All Blacks.

"We are not involved in any formal conversations with Sonny Bill," NZRU chief executive Steve Tew said yesterday. "But it is fair to say that a number of people in New Zealand rugby know him and we have been kept abreast of his inclinations and I know that Graham [Henry] had a conversation with him in January and gave him some advice about what he should be doing.

"In simple terms, we have said to Sonny Bill, if he genuinely wants to be an All Black in future, then at some point in the future he needs to come home to New Zealand to play some rugby here. If he wants to do that then we are happy to facilitate a discussion to see if that is manageable."

Williams was like many players facing serious decisions about where they wanted to live and play their sport and what salary they could demand.

The NZRU had made an offer to former All Black midfielder Aaron Mauger about returning from his Leicester club but he was concerned about his fitness because of an ongoing hip injury.

"That's where it has been left at this stage as far as I am aware," Tew said.

"He has been very honest with us and does not want to come back to New Zealand unless he can make some contribution and has full physical capacity.

"He may well change his mind because he is very highly thought of in Leicester and he has coaching aspirations and they have already involved him in that role.

"I have no doubt that Aaron Mauger will come back to New Zealand at some point in time and will play a significant role in a coaching capacity. Whether he plays any more footy for us is yet to be seen."

Argentina's future with the Tri-Nations series was still being discussed by the International Rugby Board but some decision was expected late next month. Similarly the players' collective contract was still being negotiated.