All Whites chasing warmup with Chile

The All Whites are lining up a final World Cup warmup match against South American hotshots Chile.

New Zealand have been eyeing the final piece in their preparation puzzle for some time and it's understood they are close to securing a match against the highly ranked and skilled South Americans.

It will probably be played on June 8 or 9 in Johannesburg, which is where New Zealand will be based throughout the tournament.

The World Cup kicks off on June 12, with the All Whites' first group match, against Slovakia, in Rustenburg, on June 16.

All Whites coach Ricki Herbert sees Chile as an ideal match.

Marcelo Bielsa's team, ranked 14th in the world, finished second to Brazil in South American qualifying and is expected to play a similar style to Paraguay, who the Kiwis will face in their final group match in Polokwane on June 25.

The training match, which will be open to the media, will likely be played at a training venue, rather than a stadium, and could feature three 30-minute periods.

Herbert will have all but decided on his XI to start against Slovakia by then, with matches against Australia, Serbia and Slovenia in late-May, early-June, so he would use the Chile match as a fine-tuning exercise and possibly give fringe players a run.

Should negotiations fall through, New Zealand Football should have few problems arranging another opponent, with several countries understood to be keen to play the All Whites.

Meanwhile, Ben Sigmund is welcoming the addition of Winston Reid to the All Whites' World Cup calculations.

Reid, a central defender in Denmark's top division, has played for the Danish under-21 team, but last week pledged his senior allegiance to the All Whites in a bid to make the 23-man World Cup squad.

He was born in Auckland but, as a 10-year-old, moved to Denmark with his Kiwi mother and Danish stepfather.

"It's funny where we're finding all these Kiwis from, they're coming out of the woodwork pretty thick and fast. But it's great that we can add another string to the bow in terms of a top defender," said Sigmund, who could be vying directly with Reid for a starting spot in South Africa.

"It sounds like he's playing in a good league so I'm sure Ricki Herbert will be a happy man."

Sigmund said Rory Fallon, Michael McGlinchey and Tommy Smith had all come into the team during the past year and been "great assets" and proven themselves as "true Kiwis", and he was sure Reid would be no different.

But he did have a word of warning for the future.

"I suppose you've got to be a little bit careful and make sure we're selecting quality players, which I'm sure we are, because we don't want to grab just anyone.

"We've got something special at the All Whites and we've got to make sure when we're adding players these guys are worthwhile to the team.

"We've spent five hard years working to get to where we're at so it's important that when they turn up they jump on. I'm sure they will."

With Smith and Reid, the two latest additions, both contenders for the back four, centre back Sigmund is preparing to fight to retain his spot in South Africa.

"I'm going to have to get my big studs out again and start hurting a few people," he joked.

- © Fairfax NZ News