Rugby Championship News

Woodcock and Toeava close to All Black return

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All Blacks Tony Woodcock and Isaia Toeava will play for their provinces in the ITM Cup as they take the next step in their recoveries from foot and hip injuries respectively.

Al Black coach Steve Hansen confirmed on Wednesday that Woodcock would play on Tuesday night in North Harbour’s ITM Cup match against Manawatu and Toeava would get 40 minutes for Auckland against Taranaki on Sunday.

“(Tony’s) traveling pretty good and is ready to go and if he comes through those games he’s more than likely to come to South Africa with us,” Hansen told SkySports.

“That was the plan from day one and he’s ahead of schedule.”

“He’s now at the point where yesterday he trained completely with the side and he’s ready to have a game of football. “

“We’re starting him at North Harbour in the ITM Cup because the intensity is somewhat below a Test match.”

Hansen added that fullback Israel Dagg was still some way off returning but Hansen said that the signs were encouraging after he suffered a bad thigh injury in the Super Rugby season.

“Even though he’s trained well and he can run, we’re just building the kicking back into his game and once we get that right he’ll get out and play as well.”

Hansen said he was optimistic that Dagg would be able to fly with the rest of the All Blacks in the away leg of the Tri Nations and that he would not have to prove his fitness in the ITM Cup.

“We’re hoping he’s going to be on the plane.”

Meanwhile Hansen was quick to pour cold water on on suggestions that captain Richie McCaw would line-up in the No.8 jersey at Westpac Stadium against the Springboks.

“He will be wearing the No.7 jersey and he will be openside flanker,” he said but added that McCaw would also be be used to cover the back of the scrum as well.

“We’ve got four loose forwards and only one No.8 so he will cover No.8 and at times will play there. But he will be primarily a No.7.

“He will do exactly what he did last week. He played at No.8 at times when Liam (Messam) wasn’t there.”

“At the moment the flexibility of him being able to go to No.8 is just to give Read the time out of the environment that he needs. I wouldn’t read too much into it.

“There are no big plans to turn Richie McCaw into a No.8 other than when we need him to go there as a back-up player.

“It is handy to have someone who can slot back in there, do the basic core roles of channelling the ball at the scrum and calling the scrum moves, doing all those things well, because it gives you versatility in who you can pick as your fourth loose forward.”

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