27 May 2014

Hansen settled on starting lineup

5:38 pm on 27 May 2014

The starting lineup for the All Blacks first test against England in Auckland next week is already decided but All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has a few nervous hours of Super rugby before he'll be able to confirm it.

Hansen is due to name his squad on Sunday but says he and his fellow selectors have their lineup settled, although that could all change depending on injuries in this weekend's round of Super rugby.

Hansen has also made another plea for the international test window to be moved from June to July.

England's named an initial 30 strong squad for the four-match tour of New Zealand next month.

There are seven uncapped players named in the group of 30 who will contend for spots in the team to play the All Blacks in the first test at Eden Park, with the clash with the English Premiership final between Saracens and Northhamption, forcing coach Stuart Lancaster to bring his players here in two waves.

The squad will fly to Auckland tomorrow with a further group to be named next week then arriving here for the remainder of the tour.

Hansen says there's an obvious solution to the problem and that's to move the tests to July.

He says the northern hemishere countries will claim that that will benefit southern hemisphere nations but he believes it would aid the likes to England more.