KEY POINTS:
World Cup-winning lock Murray Pierce believes Troy Flavell will join the All Blacks in France within a fortnight.
Flavell has been left out of Auckland's squad for a second week to keep him fresh in case he is called on to replace injury-plagued lock Keith Robinson.
Pierce said the All Blacks selectors had gambled on Robinson solely because of injuries to other leading locking contenders, but the Waikato player's most recent injury setback suggested that gamble had failed.
"I'd be very surprised if [Flavell] is not called up in the next week or two," Pierce said.
"We can't go into a World Cup with two specialist locks and expect them to play day-in day-out. And I have great reservations about Reuben Thorne's locking ability at the international level.
"If Jason Eaton and James Ryan had been available, Robinson wouldn't be on this tour. But, because of those injuries, and a lack of confidence in the other locking options, they have taken a punt."
It seems Pierce is not alone in believing Flavell's departure for France could be imminent.
Auckland coach Pat Lam has put the Blues captain on a reconditioning programme designed to bring him back to peak fitness.
Asked whether Flavell, who has had a hamstring niggle, was being held back for the benefit of Auckland or the All Blacks, Lam said: "Both."
"Obviously with what is happening in France, but also with what we've got coming, I felt another week of rehab was far better for him.
"Troy doesn't need game time, Troy has had the most game time of any player here. What he needs is for his hamstring to be 100 per cent. It is about 99 per cent now.
"I'd rather have him 100 per cent for us and for the All Blacks if he is called in."
Lam said he had not been contacted by All Blacks management about Flavell's status.
"Not at all, I just know that he is on standby. There is a group of guys who are on standby in our team."
Flavell isn't packing his bags yet.
"I haven't heard anything," he said.
"I'm just waiting to see how things pan out over there. It is a bit of a waiting game. I'm not looking too far into it at this stage. I've just got to keep chipping away here."
Pierce felt the writing was on the wall for Robinson, who has been unable to overcome a recurring calf problem.
"If he is getting injured in warm-ups and social games of soccer or whatever, there is no way he is going to last 80 minutes in a full-on test match."
Tournament rules allow players to be replaced as long as permission is granted by a doctor and an International Rugby Board official.
That meant the gamble on Robinson had been fairly low risk and he may have been taken to France as much for his off-field contribution as his prospects of playing, Pierce said.
"Nobody really knows what his contribution is like off the field. As we saw with Piri Weepu, that does count for a lot on tour.
"I'm sure Robinson would add a lot of mongrel off the field and the All Blacks were willing to take the punt that he would come right in time to front up for a couple of games.
"I've just got my fingers crossed that Ali Williams and Chris Jack don't get injured because that could have a major, major impact. In semifinals and finals you need your top 15 healthy and humming."
The locking crisis was unfortunate, considering the depth New Zealand had in the position only a year ago, Pierce said.
"We have far more depth across all positions this World Cup campaign than we've ever had before - except for lock. It's ironic and sad because the depth was there this time last year, but it has been injured."
Of the other contenders to replace Robinson, Ross Filipo was injured and Greg Rawlinson was probably behind Flavell in the pecking order.
Flavell would be a better option than Thorne if Jack or Williams were injured.
"Flavell has more experience at lock, is physically more intimidating and is a better option at lineout time."
