KEY POINTS:
AIX-EN PROVENCE - A gloomy rugby World Cup could be about to brighten for injured All Blacks lock Keith Robinson.
New Zealand coach Graham Henry today made his most optimistic noises yet about Robinson's recovery from the calf strain that has hounded him since the team arrived in France nearly three weeks ago.
The tough Waikato forward was a real prospect to play the final pool game against Romania at Toulouse on Saturday next week, Henry said.
Robinson ran laps and joined his teammates for the latter part of today's training session.
"We really need to put a leash on him because he's inclined to go full out. We're just holding him back at this stage, we just think another week will probably fix him," Henry said.
"The latest report is pretty positive.
"We're hoping that he's going to be right for next week and he's looking that way. I am confident."
Henry praised the patience of his medical staff in tending to Robinson.
Management has resisted the urge to call over a standby replacement player, even when Robinson regressed at times in his recuperation last week.
Fullback Mils Muliaina nursed his hamstring injury at training and ran gingerly for a small period.
Henry said there was no guarantee the influential Waikato back would be back for the Romania game, with common sense to play a leading role.
"I think he feels pretty good, it's just whether you risk pushing him out there early because he feels that he's right or do you take an other week and make sure he's right," Henry said.
"He ran today. He didn't run quick but he ran. He couldn't feel his hamstring and he's feeling that he's making good progress."
Henry said Muliaina had been very professional about the injury suffered in the early stages of last Saturday's win over Portugal, icing it every two hours that night.
Muliaina is a crucial cog in the All Blacks and his recovery will be closely monitored.
"We're probably being conservative because when it comes to the crunch, if he does do it (injure his hamstring) again he's out of the finals and we wouldn't want that to happen."
- NZPA
