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MARSEILLE - The All Blacks coaches have tweaked their antennae back toward domestic rugby as they prepare for the prospect of calling a replacement player to the World Cup.
A meeting was called on Friday to address their escalating injury list which numbers three after Conrad Smith and Reuben Thorne failed fitness tests on hamstring strains 24 hours out from the 76-14 defeat of Italy here on Saturday.
They will join Keith Robinson, still battling a calf injury, in "managed training" early this week while their fitness is assessed.
While Smith's centre position can be covered by Isaia Toeava and Mils Muliaina, the locking stocks have thinned close to breaking point. Robinson is already ruled out of this Saturday's match against Portugal and utility Thorne, when fit, is the only decent cover for specialists Ali Williams and Chris Jack.
Loose forward Sione Lauaki was forced to play the last 20 minutes there off the bench against Italy, a prospect the coaches won't want in the knockout phase of the tournament.
Assistant coach Wayne Smith said some players had been contacted in New Zealand but wouldn't reveal their identity.
"We've got contingency plans in place but there's no point talking about them because they might not be relevant," he said.
Air NZ Cup games had been closely monitored by Junior All Blacks coaches Ian Foster and Colin Cooper and footage of games was also being fed to Marseille for assessment.
"We feel a responsibility to do that, to keep up with what's going on back home, so that form players come over," Wayne Smith said.
The only injury to emerge from the Italy game was a minor one, to prop Tony Woodcock. He suffered a bruised calf that may curtail his involvement in training early this week.
- NZPA
