Rugby: Henry plays it cool on stand-in for Robinson

Keith Robinson has been feeling pain in his calf muscle, causing him to stuggle at training.

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No thought has been given to replacing injured lock Keith Robinson, says All Black coach Graham Henry.

Robinson felt another twinge in his left calf muscle during a run around in Corsica.

Henry thought he might be fit to play in a "few weeks" but that sort of delay will place an extra burden on Chris Jack and Ali Williams to stay healthy while former skipper Reuben Thorne can deputise at lock.

It also underlined the misfortune the All Blacks have had this season to also lose locks Jason Eaton and James Ryan to season-ending injuries.

Even if Robinson recovers, there must be doubt whether he could sustain a repeated workload and be risked during the playoff section of the tournament.

"We will just take it easy, there is no rush for him," Henry said. "He had a twinge but I think he is better than expected, he rode his bike to the gym."

Should a replacement be necessary, possibles, depending on their fitness, would likely be Ross Filipo, Troy Flavell or Greg Rawlinson.

Robinson said he felt some pain when he tried to pick up the pace at training.

"I can walk around all right, I gave it a bit of a strain and the problem is I haven't been able to give it a burst yet. I did not want to go too hard out and wreck the whole thing."

His season has been interrupted since the Super 14 when he first tore his calf and since then he has suffered regular recurrences.

Meanwhile, a request for frequent water breaks to counter the oppressive heat in the south of France will be among the All Black inquiries today at a World Cup summit meeting in Paris.

While large chunks of the host nation have found cooler weather this week, the last rain in Marseille, where the All Blacks are based, was two months ago.

The area is dust-dry and temperatures in the southern city are regularly in the thirties with the All Blacks due to start their campaign against Italy when the heat is at its most vicious in the early afternoon.

Henry, scrum guru Mike Cron and captain Richie McCaw will be the All Black envoys heading to Paris for a meeting which will be overseen by International Rugby Boardreferees director Paddy O'Brien.

While that group will have the bases covered on the tournament rules, scrum and breakdown interpretations, Henry intended to ask for some dispensation so his trainers could deliver extra water to his side during Sunday's game. "I think the guys are pretty fit, those sort of people acclimatise pretty quickly, we have had a few days in Corsica in the heat and will have another seven days here to get used to it," he said.

"But I think we have got to be pretty mindful of the weather and hopefully the officials will concur.

"We will certainly mention the temperatures, which will be high, to the officials because we play in the afternoon and it is pretty hot down here then."

Test No 8 Rodney So'oialo said the side needed to adapt quickly to the heat otherwise it could erode their concentration.

"We just have to stay strong in the brain, in the top, and we will go well."