Ma’a Nonu has been named in the All Blacks squad for Saturday’s Rugby Championship decider against the Wallabies, but the powerhouse centre remains in doubt for the clash in Sydney.
The All Blacks announced a 41-man squad on Sunday ahead of the match at ANZ Stadium, which is also the first of two Bledisloe Cup Tests.
Nonu suffered a shoulder injury in last weekend’s win over South Africa and while scans have cleared him of anything serious, he is badly bruised. Sonny Bill Williams is in the frame to come in for Nonu along with Malakai Fekitoa.
“We’re not going to risk him if he’s not right,” Hansen said. “There’s a big season ahead, and we’ve got plenty of cover there so we’ll see how it goes.”
Uncapped winger Patrick Osborne has been called into the extended squad, which also stands for the second Bledisloe Test against in Auckland the week after the opener.
Scrumhalf Tawera Kerr-Barlow also comes back in place of the experienced Andy Ellis and will be desperate to get back into Test rugby after missing the Super Rugby season because of a knee injury.
Flyhalf Dan Carter, like centre Williams, returns after being rested for the trip to South Africa, while Charlie Faumuina was among seven props named in the squad as he continues his recovery from neck surgery.
Osborne comes in to provide cover for Cory Jane and his Otago Highlanders team-mate Waisake Naholo, who fractured his leg on his Test debut against Argentina last month and has been all but ruled out of the World Cup.
Jane still has hopes of defending the title he helped win on home soil in 2011 but the 53-test veteran sprained his ankle playing for New Zealand Barbarians against the Maori All Blacks in July.
“It’s more for the future really,” Hansen added. “With Waisake out three months and Cory still struggling with his injury, we just wanted to make sure we had someone else that has been in the environment.”
Wellington Hurricanes flyer Nehe Milner-Skudder looks more likely to make his test debut in one of the two matches against the Wallabies after recovering from a rib injury suffered in the Super Rugby final.
All Blacks: Dane Coles, Hikawera Elliot, Keven Mealamu, Codie Taylor, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Nepo Laulala, Joe Moody, Tony Woodcock, James Broadhurst, Brodie Retallick, Luke Romano, Jeremy Thrush, Sam Whitelock, Sam Cane, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw (captain), Liam Messam, Kieran Read, Matt Todd, Victor Vito, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Beauden Barrett, Daniel Carter, Colin Slade, Lima Sopoaga, Ryan Crotty, Malakai Fekitoa, Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Sonny Bill Williams, Israel Dagg, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Patrick Osborne, Charles Piutau, Julian Savea, Ben Smith.