The injured All Black captain Richie McCaw has anointed Chiefs flanker Tanerau Latimer as his likely fill-in for the number seven jersey in the team to be named on Sunday for next month's Test against France and Italy.
Latimer played at the Crusaders in 2006 before moving to the Chiefs and McCaw says he's had a strong Super 14 this year, helping the Chiefs to Sunday's morning's final in Pretoria against the Bulls.
McCaw's been ruled out of the June Tests after suffering knee ligament injury in the semi-final loss to the Bulls in Pretoria last weekend although he hopes to fit for the Tri Nations.
McCaw says another young openside who's impressed him is George Whitelock from the Crusaders.
