KEY POINTS:
All Black lock Ali Williams would prefer to extend his seven-year Auckland career but a troubled Blues campaign and the lure of fresh challenges with the Chiefs or Crusaders are eating into his loyalty.
The 26-year-old's allegiance suffered during a Blues campaign when coach David Nucifora refused to pick the test lock regularly on his return from reconditioning before Williams was then sent home from South Africa for repeated disciplinary breaches.
When Nucifora was reappointed as Blues coach for two more years, Williams began to think more about a change of province when he comes off contract at the end of this year.
He has considered moves to either Waikato or Canterbury by the October 15 deadline which would also alter his Super 14 selection.
Speculation about Williams' decision has been building since his mid-year displeasure with Nucifora and the Blues, and while that remains an issue, suggestions yesterday that teammates Joe Rokocoko and Tony Woodcock were also pondering provincial switches have been dismissed as they are signed to the end of next year.
"I have spoken to Joe and Tony, who were as surprised and annoyed as I was to see themselves featuring in such a story," Blues chief executive Andy Dalton said. "They both clearly stated to me they are happy in the Blues squad and looking forward to next season.
"Their end-of-season review, completed by them, supports this sentiment."
Dalton was not as confident about Williams, though, and sources told the Herald the lock was leaning towards a shift and would make a decision before he left with the World Cup squad at the end of this month. Nucifora's reappointment and Greg Cooper's selection as his assistant will not have helped Williams' mood.
But his Auckland roots make him hesitant to shift even to neighbouring Waikato or Canterbury, where he would play alongside close mates Richie McCaw and Dan Carter.
Williams' season has been severely curtailed by his absence on reconditioning duty, limited games and a squad expulsion in the Super 14 and then two months out of rugby after he broke his jaw trying to tackle French No 8 Sebastien Chabal in the Wellington test.
The lock has played one club game since he was cleared to return to rugby and will play alongside his brother Jay for Auckland this weekend.
He will attend an All Black training camp in Christchurch next week and is then likely to play one more game for Auckland before the World Cup squad is cotton-wooled.
Initial reports on fellow World Cup prospect Greg Somerville were encouraging after the prop underwent surgery to repair a damaged retina in his right eye. Somerville had surgery under local anaesthetic at St George's Hospital in Christchurch with the specialist reportedly happy with the procedure.
Somerville was hurt when he was accidentally poked in the eye by a Bay of Plenty player during a national championship match at the weekend.
He had been nominated as the player to fill the last vacancy in the World Cup squad but his latest injury has complicated that decision.
Somerville returned to rugby only in the last month after rupturing his Achilles tendon last year during the Tri-Nations series and then having a second operation.
All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen said the prop's eye operation had "by all accounts gone very well" and the 55-test veteran should be running again in a fortnight.
"The specialist is happy and just how well it has gone will be reassessed in a fortnight," Hansen said. "Greg is in a good mental frame of mind and knows that he has got to be patient."
If Somerville is not cleared by the August 14 World Cup deadline, his place will be taken by Wellington prop John Schwalger.
