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The All Blacks are plotting an emergency plan amid growing fears they will be without superstar pair Dan Carter and Richie McCaw in Sunday’s Rugby World Cup semi-final showdown with the Wallabies.
With Carter already out of the tournament, heightening speculation on Wednesday that McCaw’s chronic foot injury could end his campaign at any tick of the clock had the host nation on edge.
The All Blacks have been at pains to play down the seriousness of his injury, with team doctor Deb Robinson this week forced to reject rumours that McCaw was already booked in for post-World Cup surgery because the screw he’d had inserted in his foot in February had slipped.
“All week, every week, there are things that come out that I haven’t heard about, so I can honestly say, hand on heart, that nothing has been planned for Richie at this stage,” Dr Robinson said.
“We will deal with that when the end of the World Cup comes.”
Despite completing most of what little training he has managed during the tournament in trainers, rather than football boots, assistant coach Steve Hansen insisted last week the champion flanker would carry on for as long as the All Blacks remained alive.
Intriguingly, though, Crusaders reserve flanker Matt Todd reportedly trained with the All Blacks on Wednesday after previously being sighted at their team hotel.
New Zealand’s yahoo.com said Todd ran opposite McCaw’s back-up Victor Vito, who later inadvertently revealed the seriousness of the All Blacks’ concerns.
“Be that he can’t play or whatever, either one of Thommo (Adam Thomson) or myself can fill in there,” Vito said.
“I think with Richie, it’s been the same thing for a little while now. It’s just managing his foot. Personally, we’re just trying to get our skipper back on the paddock.”
Blindside flanker Jerome Kaino said the All Blacks were routinely preparing for the worst-case scenario that McCaw will join Carter in the stands at Eden Park.
“It’s not too bad with Richie not taking too much involvement in training,” Kaino said.
“We know each other, we know our game. If Richie sits out, we have guys like Victor and Thommo that can slot straight in and know our game quite well.”
Even if McCaw, with the assistance of another painkilling injection, starts, the prospect of their 101-Test leader not finishing the game is a major worry.
Since his Test debut in 2001, New Zealand have played Australia 28 times – but never without either McCaw or Carter starting.
The All Blacks boast 14 wins from 17 matches with both McCaw and Carter starting against the Wallabies.
But that 83 per cent strike dips to 64 per cent when one is missing.
Revealing statistics, though, show their talismanic captain is even more important to the All Blacks than Carter.
The All Blacks have notched six wins from eight matches with McCaw in and Carter out.
But even with Carter directing play, New Zealand have lost two out of three against Australia in the absence of their three-time world player of the year.
All up, the All Blacks’ record against the Wallabies with McCaw playing is 20 wins from 25 matches, an 80 per cent success rate.
The top-ranked nation have won 15 of 20 games against Australia at 75 per cent with Carter starting.
Playing without either against Australia for the first time doesn’t bear thinking about for All Blacks fans, let alone in a sudden-death World Cup semi-final.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.