McAlister put on ice as Super 14 starts up

McAlister put on ice as Super 14 starts up

By RICHARD KNOWLER - The Press Last updated 05:00 04/02/2010

Luke McAlister will join fellow All Blacks Richie McCaw, Mils Muliaina and Rodney So'oialo on ice during the Super 14's opening rounds.

However, unlike another international and Blues team-mate, Ali Williams, McAlister may only miss two or three games, which means he should be available to face the Crusaders in the fourth-round match at AMI Stadium on March 6.

Also in doubt for the Blues' opening match against the Hurricanes in Albany on February 12 are All Black lock Anthony Boric and outside back Anthony Tuitavake.

None of the injured Blues players have been picked for tonight's pre-season match against the Crusaders in Motueka.

"Luke might not be ready for round two or three," Blues coach Pat Lam conceded yesterday. "He just has some niggly injuries we want to get right and we just want to make sure he has got a good [fitness] base before he gets out there. If you look at last season, he picked up quite a few niggles and the medical team and the conditioning staff just want to make sure he is fully ready to go."

McCaw is not expected back until the third or fourth-round matches, while Chiefs captain Muliaina will miss the first three fixtures. Both have activated clauses in their contracts that allow them to take a break.

Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper said he wanted to give So'oialo extra time to prepare for the tournament after his form dived last year.

Since returning to New Zealand from England last winter, McAlister has struggled to show his full potential.

Lam said he wanted to give him as much time as possible to ensure he was "100 per cent fit".

Boric, who toured the northern hemisphere with the All Blacks late last year after missing most of the season because of injury, was "touch and go" for the opening round.

Lam was also uncertain whether Tuitavake would be fit enough to be considered.

Meanwhile, Lam was hopeful Williams would return to play later this year, after surgery on his ruptured Achilles tendon on Monday.

Although he has no chance of playing in the Super 14, Williams will be hoping he can emulate Dan Carter, who ruptured his Achilles last year, and be back playing after six months.