23 Aug 2011

Gear and Messam among unlucky five

8:04 am on 23 August 2011

It looks as if wings Hosea Gear and Sitiveni Sivivatu, loose forward Liam Messam, prop Wyatt Crockett and utility forward Jarred Hoeata haven't made the All Blacks' World Cup squad to be named early this afternoon.

The Wellington number eight Victor Vito arrived in Brisbane yesterday from South Africa but Messam didn't.

Nor did Hoeata , which suggests lock Anthony Boric has passed a fitness test.

Sivivatu broke an eye socket in the win over Australia in Auckland and if that's ruled him out and Gear's missed out the only specialist winger will be Zac Guildford, the other wing slots going to Isaia Toeava and Cory Jane because they can cover wing and fullback.

And the veteran loosehead prop Tony Woodcock played Sunday's loss to South Africa after a long injury break so Crockett misses out to John Afoa.

The rest of the squad to be named at 2pm will probably be: Mils Muliaina, Israel Dagg, Richard Kahui, Conrad Smith, Sonny Bill Williams, Ma'a Nonu, Dan Carter, Colin Slade, Jimmy Cowan, Piri Weepu, Andy Ellis; Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino, Adam Thomson, Keven Mealamu, Andrew Hore, Corey Flynn, Owen and Ben Franks, John Afoa, Brad Thorn, Sam Whitelock and Ali Williams,