Dan Carter call is on the cards

DON SCOTT/The Press

RUNNING AGAIN: Star first five-eighth Daniel Carter is a chance to be named in the Canterbury squad to defend the Air New Zealand Cup.

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We might find out today exactly when Daniel Carter will make his return to rugby.

Out since rupturing his Achilles tendon while playing for French club Perpignan, the star first five-eighth is a chance to be named in the Canterbury squad to defend the Air New Zealand Cup.

The 27-year-old has been running at his Auckland base for several weeks now and is expected to make an appearance in Christchurch in the near future.

Canterbury coaches Rob Penney and Tabai Matson are due to announce a lineup today probably 30-strong which could include Carter.

He will play for the team at some stage during the competition, it is just a case of whether he is far enough along in his rehabilitation to be named in the initial squad.

In Junior All Blacks Colin Slade and Stephen Brett, Canterbury are blessed with talent in that position but the stocks are thinner elsewhere.

Penney and Matson have trawled the club grounds in recent weeks, presumably in an attempt to dredge up hookers, props, locks, openside flankers and fullbacks.

Will Catherwood is the only hooker of note actually playing at the moment.

Corey Flynn is still on the comeback trail from the latest of his broken arms, while Ti'i Paulo has not recovered as well as first hoped from a knee operation.

Either Wyatt Crockett or Owen Franks should be in the 30-man All Blacks squad named this Saturday for the Tri-Nations, leaving Penney to make do with largely untried props like Andrew Olorenshaw, Peter Borlase and Rodney Ah You.

Likely locks Luke Romano, Sam Whitelock and James Broadhurst are equally green and will need to learn fast if Michael Paterson makes his anticipated shift to blindside flanker.

George Whitelock, seen by some as a possible captain in Kieran Read's absence, is the logical candidate at openside.

However, he would not disgrace the All Blacks should the selectors decide that he is a more robust bet than Tanerau Latimer as backup for the returning Richie McCaw. That would leave Canterbury with Matt Todd and not a lot else in that position.

It has been interesting to see, though, that Nasi Manu has been named in the No7 jumper for Sydenham lately.

Primarily a No8 or No6, Manu started one match for the Crusaders at openside this year against the Stormers.

Ash Parker would be the obvious choice at the back of the scrum if Manu were pushed to the flank.

With Wellington recruit Tu Umaga-Marshall injured, Christchurch fullback Sam Monaghan has been attracting a few admirers.

Still very raw, Monaghan has yet to develop the all-round game of someone like Chris Small.

POSSIBLE SQUAD

Forwards: Andrew Olorenshaw, Rodney Ah You, Peter Borlase, Owen Franks, Will Catherwood, Corey Flynn, Ti'i Paulo, Luke Romano, Sam Whitelock, James Broadhurst, Michael Paterson, George Whitelock, Matt Todd, Nasi Manu, Ash Parker.

Backs: Andy Ellis, Tyson Keats, Willie Heinz, Colin Slade, Stephen Brett, Daniel Carter, Ryan Crotty, Tim Bateman, Casey Laulala, Adam Whitelock, James Paterson, Sean Maitland, Tu Umaga-Marshall, Chris Small, Sam Monaghan.