McKenzie ready for test debut
After spending more than three months in the All Black environment without a hint of making his test debut, Damian McKenzie has been judged ready to celebrate a special milestone...
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Rugby: Savea injury could open door for Fekitoa
Rugby: Savea injury could open door for Fekitoa
Malakai Fekitoa's ability to cover both midfield positions and, at a pinch, wing, could see him as a beneficiary if Julian Savea is ruled out of the first test against England.
Rugby: Coles standing on brink for All Blacks
Rugby: Coles standing on brink for All Blacks
With only two hookers in the All Blacks squad to play England, Dane Coles is standing on the brink of a series which could catapult him past ageing warrior Keven Mealamu as the best No2 in the country.
Rugby: Hansen relishing England challenge
Rugby: Hansen relishing England challenge
For All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, England are the perfect opposition to play as he seeks to draw a line under his team’s unbeaten exploits of last year.
Rugby: Shoulder injury makes Braid major doubt
Rugby: Shoulder injury makes Braid major doubt
Having made one big step forward with their victory over the Waratahs, the Blues' next stride could be checked slightly with news that captain Luke Braid's injured shoulder is likely to keep him out of the next game against the Reds.
Rugby: Hurricanes failure final straw for Benji
Rugby: Hurricanes failure final straw for Benji
The slowly unfolding car crash that was the Blues' Benji Marshall experiment skidded to a final and dramatic halt yesterday, but the main damage was done on Friday in Wellington.
Rugby: Highlanders do it the hard way
Rugby: Highlanders do it the hard way
The Highlanders have recorded an untidy victory over the Rebels tonight, but coach Jamie Joseph isn't likely to care a jot - with three wins they have already equalled their total for the whole of last season.
Rugby: Hickey looks at home in No 10 jersey
Rugby: Hickey looks at home in No 10 jersey
Jerome Kaino and Ma'a Nonu have come through their first assignment of the season and will see their workloads increase markedly from here, but it's the continued progress of young first-five Simon Hickey which is proving an unexpected bonus for the Blues.
Rugby: Blues bounce back with win
Rugby: Blues bounce back with win
Welcome back to the Blues, Jerome Kaino and Ma'a Nonu, a franchise where you never quite know what you're going to get from one week to the next but it's usually entertaining.
Rugby: Carter targets club return
Rugby: Carter targets club return
Dan Carter's last act as a rugby player was to hobble off Twickenham with yet another Achilles injury in his 100th test.
Rugby: McCaw injury will have Hansen worried
Rugby: McCaw injury will have Hansen worried
Richie McCaw needs surgery to insert a screw into his broken left thumb - a blow for the Crusaders which could have All Blacks' coach Steve Hansen looking nervously at the calendar, ahead of the June series against England.
Rugby: Kirwan puts faith in youngster to guide Blues
Rugby: Kirwan puts faith in youngster to guide Blues
John Kirwan has put his faith in 20-year-old first-five Simon Hickey, a player yet to make his Super Rugby debut, to guide his Blues team against the Crusaders as they seek to avoid their second defeat of the season.
Rugby: Kirwan set to keep faith with Noakes
Rugby: Kirwan set to keep faith with Noakes
Blues coach Sir John Kirwan says there will be no selection "shake up" following their Dunedin disappointment, but the spotlight will this week once again fall on the men vying for the No10 jersey.
Rugby: Blues to face Crusaders without Nonu
Rugby: Blues to face Crusaders without Nonu
Midfielder Francis Saili, one of the Blues' best players in his team's mostly lacklustre performance against the Highlanders in Dunedin, is an injury concern for coach Sir John Kirwan but Ma'a Nonu has already been ruled out of the next match against the Crusaders.
Rugby: Muliaina straight in for Chiefs
Rugby: Muliaina straight in for Chiefs
Former All Blacks fullback Mils Muliaina, in surveying the upcoming Super Rugby season from Japan recently, must have looked at the Chiefs' riches at outside back and thought his would be a gradual return to the game here.
Rugby: Marshall unlikely to start against Highlanders
Rugby: Marshall unlikely to start against Highlanders
This week's Blues' team announcement for their opening match of the season will be keenly anticipated due to the arrival of Benji Marshall, but the former league player is likely to continue his rugby education from the reserves' bench.
Rugby: Fresh McCaw keen for more games
Rugby: Fresh McCaw keen for more games
Richie McCaw's break this year has left him so fresh he would like to play a few more games this year.
Rugby: All Blacks among the fittest ever
Rugby: All Blacks among the fittest ever
Robbie Deans stated it last year after his Australia team got walloped at Eden Park - this All Blacks team under Steve Hansen is fit, and strength and conditioning coach Nic Gill says they have gone to a new level in 2013.
Rugby: Patience pays off for Crockett
Rugby: Patience pays off for Crockett
For Wyatt Crockett, patience is a virtue, but the decision from on high to add another prop to the reserves bench has been a godsend.
Rugby: Perenara gets chance as Hansen rings changes
Rugby: Perenara gets chance as Hansen rings changes
Halfback TJ Perenara is in line to make his test debut from the reserves bench against Ireland as All Blacks coach Steve Hansen looks to re-energise his squad for the final challenge of the year.