Otago No 8 Christian Lio-Willie is back in the All Blacks frame.
There was also some Highlanders interest in an announcement from the national squad late on Tuesday night.
Two All Blacks loose forwards are heading home ahead of this weekend’s test against England at Twickenham.
Samipeni Finau is returning to New Zealand due to illness in his family, and Luke Jacobson has already left the UK to recover after suffering a head knock in the All Blacks XV’s win over England A.
Lio-Willie has been whistled in from the second-string squad to join the All Blacks.
While he is officially designated as training cover, it is a nice sign the in-form Otago man remains in the selectors’ thoughts after appearing in all three tests against France in July but not being required for the Rugby Championship or first two tests in the grand slam tour.
There might need to be one more loose forward ruled out for Lio-Willie to get a shot against either England or Wales.
Presumably, Scott Robertson will stick with Peter Lakai at No 8, Ardie Savea at openside and Wallace Sititi at blindside for the English test, and Simon Parker and Du’Plessis Kirifi provide cover.
Auckland lock Josh Beehre has also been asked to provide cover, with All Blacks captain Scott Barrett still in doubt after suffering a laceration to his leg against Ireland in Chicago.
A third All Blacks XV player will train with the full squad — and it seems only a matter of time until he earns a test cap.
Caleb Tangitau was arguably the Highlanders’ best player last season before he got injured, and the winger looked good in two All Blacks XV games.
He gets a chance to mingle with Robertson’s crew, as power winger Caleb Clarke is scratched with a head knock.
The All Blacks still have plenty of options on the wing — Leroy Carter and Sevu Reece are specialists, and Will Jordan or Leicester Fainga’anuku could easily switch from fullback or centre respectively — but Tangitau looks every inch a test player.
Meanwhile, Tom Roebuck returns on the wing, George Ford is back at first five, Sam Underhill is on the flank and there are six Lions on the bench as England coach Steve Borthwick makes seven changes for the test against the All Blacks.
Roebuck missed last week’s win over Fiji, having starred in the opening victory over Australia, and his aerial ability will be a boost for England in attack and defence.
Freddie Steward also missed Fiji with a finger injury but comes in at fullback, with Marcus Smith dropping to the bench, where he will also cover first five with Ford the starting 10 and Fin Smith left out.
Ollie Lawrence and Fraser Dingwall continue in the midfield, with cover provided by pacy forward Ben Earl.
Maro Itoje, who had a rare bench appearance last week, returns to captain the team alongside Alex Coles in the second row, with Ollie Chessum out injured.
Tough-tackling Underhill comes in at openside flanker as Earl, man of the match in England’s last two games, moves back to No 8.
With the bench having had a huge impact in their last two games, Borthwick has again loaded it in a 6-2 split, including six Lions from the Australia tour.
Tom Curry, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, Chandler Cunningham-South and Henry Pollock are again poised to come on as the "Bomb Squad" early in the second half.
England team
To play All Blacks
Freddie Steward, Tom Roebuck, Ollie Lawrence, Fraser Dingwall, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, George Ford, Alex Mitchell, Ben Earl, Sam Underhill, Guy Pepper, Alex Coles, Maro Itoje (captain), Joe Heyes, Jamie George, Fin Baxter. Reserves: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, Chandler Cunningham-South, Tom Curry, Henry Pollock, Ben Spencer, Marcus Smith. — additional reporting Reuters
