Rieko Ioane appears set for an opportunity to continue his brilliant form for the Blues against the Stormers at Eden Park on Saturday, but is almost certain to miss the following weekend's match against the Waratahs.
Ioane, with six tries in two matches, is in career-best nick and was instrumental in his side beating the Highlanders last Friday and therefore breaking their woeful 20-game unsuccessful run against New Zealand teams.
According to agreements made at the end of last year between all New Zealand Super Rugby coaches, the All Blacks coaches, and New Zealand Rugby, all top All Blacks can play a maximum of only six consecutive matches during this World Cup year.
As part of that welfare protocol, resting players are not to be involved in any of their team's planning or training for that week.
That was seen recently in Richie Mo'unga and Scott Barrett sitting out the Crusaders' defeat to the Waratahs in Sydney despite their previous match against the Highlanders being cancelled. The fact the pair trained to play precluded them from playing at the Sydney Cricket Ground even though they didn't put their boots on in Dunedin.