All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says his veteran hooker Andrew Hore won't make it to the next Rugby World Cup, amid reports the 35-year-old will announce his retirement soon.
Hore wasn't even in the matchday squad this weekend as Dane Coles started for the first time against the Springboks on Saturday at Eden Park. Keven Mealamu was on the bench.
Hansen says Coles is the future but they didn't want to put someone into the front row who they didn't think was ready, and that's why they've held onto Hore and Mealamu for as long as they have.
While both veterans are still playing well, Hore is set to retire sometime before the next World Cup.
Hansen says whether that's this year or next year, at some stage Hore's going to have to be replaced and they all know that, and the selectors have been planning for that for a while.
He doesn't see Hore being around in 2015, and he doesn't think the player does either.
Hansen says Mealamu is a chance of making the 2015 World Cup, if his body holds up.
