News

MacDonald loses fitness race

Tuesday 14th October 2008

Leon MacDonald: Won't be touring with the All Blacks

All Blacks Assistant Coach Wayne Smith expects Ali Williams and Stephen Donald to be fit for New Zealand's end of season tour but has confirmed full-back Leon MacDonald will be absent.

MacDonald suffered concussion during the All Blacks' 28-30 loss to South Africa in Dunedin on July 12 and missed the rest of the Tri-Nations as he struggled to overcome the symptoms, which included light-headedness and fatigue.

He has been training with his province Canterbury during the past few weeks while being closely monitored by All Blacks doctor Deb Robinson and the Canterbury medical staff.

Although he is making good progress, Smith said a decision had already been taken that the 30-year-old full-back would not be making the trip to Hong Kong, Britain and Ireland next month.

"We made a decision a while ago that Leon would not be making the tour," said Smith.

"He needs time. I think he will be fine given a decent period to recover so we'll give him that.

"We have left Leon to his own space and he's got to make his own decisions. He's got a bit of recovery to do and we've just left him to do that."

Wellington full-back Cory Jane, a New Zealand Sevens Commonwealth Games gold medal winner in 2006, has impressed for the Lions this season and is a strong contender for the vacant second number fifteen spot.

Canterbury's Paul Williams, who was part of an All Blacks wider training squad earlier this year, is another also pushing for selection alongside incumbent Mils Muliaina.

Lock Ali Williams, who was nursed through the Tri-Nations after spraining his ankle in the second Test against England in Christchurch in June, has taken no part in the Air New Zealand Cup but Smith is encouraged by his progress.

"Ali has been running for the last week or so and I think his recovery from an ankle injury has been pretty good so that's pretty promising," added Smith.

Coach Graham Henry will be relieved that Ali Williams is getting back to full fitness as he and Brad Thorn were instrumental in New Zealand's Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations success this season and will be vital components in a tough five-week tour that includes a fourth Bledisloe Cup match of the year against Australia in Hong Kong before Tests against Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England on successive weekends plus a mid-week game against Munster.

Donald, Dan Carter's back-up at fly-half, is battling back from a rib cartilage injury he suffered in his only appearance for Waikato at the start of the month.

Donald failed to last the first half during the Mooloos' final round-robin match against Taranaki.

It is a similar injury to the one he suffered at the end of the Super 14 campaign and Smith was confident the number ten would bounce back quickly again.

"He recovered from that in two or three weeks, so I imagine he's not in doubt," Smith said.

"He's also shown the ability to come on for us under real pressure with very little game-time under the belt.

"He's mentally tough, he's got a bit of X-factor and I think he'll be okay."

Should Donald still be struggling at the start of the tour, Smith has not ruled out scrum-half Piri Weepu as a cover option.

Weepu has switched between nine and ten with some success for Wellington this year.

"He's certainly interesting as a cover option - I don't know whether he'd be a starting option for us at ten," said Smith.

"But just the fact that he is able to play there and play at a high level is good for him, good for us, and gives us some options on the bench if we're ever in that position."

The All Blacks squad will be named on October 26 - the day after the Air New Zealand Cup final.