All Blacks coach Graham Henry has said that his selectors face a tough job as they must ensure that New Zealand’s entire squad must get game time ahead of the world cup and still win Test matches.
Henry wants all of his players to have had enough game time to get them match fit and for the team to keep winning as they prepares for the Rugby World Cup.
New Zealand plays five tests before it opens the World Cup against Tonga on Sept. 9.
Henry said selectors will have to balance naming their best team with giving game time to key backup players in tests against Fiji and in the Tri-Nations series against Australia and South Africa.
“We can’t take the risk of going into a sudden death rugby World Cup and having to play somebody who hasn’t played a big test match for all of 2011, ” he said.
“I just think we need to be pragmatic there and make good decisions.”
Henry said quality backup was needed in every position, not just for star players such as captain and flanker Richie McCaw and flyhalf Dan Carter.
“It may be fullback, it may be 10, it may be seven, it may be the fourth lock, ” Henry said.
Henry was unwilling to identify Carter’s probable back up, saying there were several candidates who could fill in as the backline playmaker.
“There’s debate still about if you need a specialist or can Adam Thomson or Liam Messam, or Kieran Read or somebody play in that position, ” he said.
Providing rehabilitation for injured fullback Israel Dagg is causing most concern for the New Zealand team management.
Dagg inured his right thigh in the Canterbury Crusaders’ win over the Cape Town-based Stormers in the Super 15 last month.
Henry said the tendon that connects the quadriceps was ripped off the bone and there was not a lot of research on such an injury.
“Our best guess is that he will be coming right perhaps near the end of July, ” and will have to come back via the domestic rugby competition, Henry said.
“I thought he was playing outstanding footy when he did the injury and we just have to wait and see how that responds. “