KEY POINTS:
TOULOUSE - The All Blacks will be a collective bundle nerves at the rugby World Cup this weekend and it's got nothing to do with Romania.
A first real shadow has lowered on their campaign courtesy of the calf strain suffered by first five-eighth Daniel Carter, the injury ruling him out of tonight's (NZ time) final pool match against the Romanians at Le Stadium here.
A recovery process for the gifted playmaker was set in motion yesterday and will continue over the weekend before medical staff can get a true gauge on the injury.
His availability for the quarterfinal in Cardiff on Sunday morning (NZ time) next week may be known by about Tuesday.
If he is a 50-50 prospect at that point, his progress is certain to dominate the leadup to the game - such is his importance to this All Blacks side.
Carter, who was an interesting initial selection in a largely second choice lineup for tonight's test, felt his left calf muscle tighten in their chilly final training run at Aix en Provence on Thursday.
He saw the session out but it was tighter again yesterday and medical staff were quick to declare him unfit to play, replaced by Luke McAlister.
It has created unwanted worry lines for coach Graham Henry, who earlier in the week had stated his pleasure at a thinning injury list.
"We don't think it's particularly serious, hopefully he'll be right for next week," Henry said of Carter.
"We just wonder how bad it is, we're not 100 per cent sure yet and we won't know until Tuesday."
Carter took no part in the team's light run at the match venue yesterday, having arrived wearing a stocking over his left calf.
Henry spoke of the importance of his rotation policy and how it had created depth but the reality is different.
Carter has been the starting first five-eighth in 19 of the last 21 tests, making first five-eighth the least rotated of any position in the All Blacks over that period.
Nick Evans, who remains at fullback tomorrow while Mils Muliaina and Leon MacDonald shake off niggles of their own, has started four tests at first five-eighth. It will be McAlister's fourth start there tomorrow.
"Nick's played five-eighth on this tour (against Portugal), Luke hasn't," Henry said in explaining the selection.
"There's two options and that's what this is about, it's about depth. We've got injuries to players, we've got depth to back it up."
If tonight's captain Jerry Collins was concerned about Carter's status, he wasn't showing it.
He expected McAlister to slot into the No 10 jersey comfortably tonight.
"We lose the class Dan brings," Collins said.
"Luke's got his own style and brings a lot to the table. We had longer than usual today to run over things, and our combinations."
McAlister's place on the reserve bench has been taken by winger Doug Howlett.
Meanwhile, Collins said he wouldn't be watching the key pool D matches on Monday morning (NZ time) which will determine who New Zealand face in the quarterfinals.
If, as expected, France beat Georgia at Marseille and get a bonus point, they will be the likely opponents.
The only way that wouldn't be the case was if Ireland scored four tries in beating Argentina in the later game at Paris and stopped the Pumas from getting a bonus point. Under that scenario, Ireland would face the All Blacks.
"Sunday's a free day for us so Sunday afternoon (when the games are played) I'll probably be doing what I normally do," Collins said.
"We'll probably watch the news and see what happened."
- NZPA
