Canterbury coach Rob Penney is confident Dan Carter is ready to return to the New Zealand squad for the Tri Nations and Bledisloe Cup Test against Australia in Sydney in three weeks' time.

Dan Carter kicked 14 points but it was not enough for Canterbury as the defending champions went down 22-19 to North Harbour in their opening Air New Zealand Cup match.

New Zealand fly-half Dan Carter will make his comeback from a ruptured Achilles tendon in a club game on Saturday.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry has named seven new players in his 35-man squad for the autumn tour to Hong Kong and Europe.

ALL BLACK hopeful Kieran Read has failed to make Graham Henry’s 26-man squad for the Test series against Ireland and England and the Philips Tri Nations.

PAUL O’CONNELL, Alan Quinlan, Tony Buckley and Peter Stringer return to strengthen Munster’s Magners League challenge this weekend, but the search for Ronan O’Gara’s back-up seems set to continue after Jeremy Manning’s announcement that he is to return to New Zealand at the end of the season.

Former New Zealand School out-half Jeremy Manning will home to take up a National Provincial Chamnpionship contract with North Harbour.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry will keep faith with the bulk of his Tri-Nations winning-squad when the World Cup favourites pursue glory in France this autumn.

Former New Zealand captain Reuben Thorne has been recalled to the All Blacks side for their Tri-Nations clash with South Africa in his home city of Christchurch on Saturday.

NEW ZEALAND Maori captain Rua Tipoki teams up with Munster today, and is all set to get medical and work-permit clearance.

Munster expect to add Rua Tipoki to their squad for the coming season, subject to the New Zealander getting medical clearance securing a work permit.

MUNSTER are closing on New Zealand Maori captain Rua Tipoki — despite the inside centre’s disciplinary problems.

NEW ZEALAND Maori inside centre Rua Tipoki could be Munster-bound in time for next season’s Heineken Cup campaign.

Defending champions New Zealand Maori have named four debutants in the side to face Canada in tomorrow’s Barclays Churchill Cup clash in Northampton.

Uncapped duo Brendon Leonard and John Schwalger have been called up to the New Zealand squad for the Tests against France, Canada and the upcoming Tri-Nations tournament.

Leicester Tigers have changed their focus from Aaron Mauger to his New Zealand midfield partner Luke McAlister, according to the Blues player’s father and agent.

TASESA LAVEA’S switch from the Blues to the Chiefs was the surprise move as the five New Zealand Super 14 franchises were announced.

Jonah Lomu’s provincial coach expects the winger to play some part in this season’s Air New Zealand Cup.

Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan will not employ a rotation policy on his team’s tour of New Zealand and Australia.

South African-born lock Greg Rawlinson has been called into the New Zealand squad ahead of their Tests against Ireland and Argentina.

Jonah Lomu has played his last game for Cardiff Blues after breaking his leg in the Celtic League game against the Borders.

JONAH LOMU hopes his training sessions with sprint legend Linford Christie have increased his chances of landing a Super 14 contract - with an astonishing All Black comeback the ultimate prize.

ONE of the world’s greatest rugby players is putting his mighty weight behind the Irish Kidney Association’s campaign to get Ireland’s living kidney donor programme up and running.

New Zealand flanker Richie McCaw has been ruled out of tomorrow’s Test against England at Twickenham.

New Zealand head coach Graham Henry has named Sitiveni Sivivatu and Doug Howlett on the wings for Saturday’s highly-anticipated clash with England at Twickenham.

IRISH coach Eddie O’Sullivan will release nine players back to their provinces tomorrow to assist their Celtic League programmes this weekend.

ALL BLACKS captain Tana Umaga may be shielded from playing in front of irate Irish rugby fans next month as coach Graham Henry looks to keep his players’ workloads in check during a rare Grand Slam tour.

Tongan international Andrew Mailei will sign for Connacht on a one-year deal as a direct replacement for Mark McHugh, who is out of the game with a long-term injury.

John Lewis

Jonah Lomu could feature for one of Ireland’s provinces in his bid to return to full fitness.

Jonah Lomu could feature for one of Ireland's provinces in his bid to return to full fitness.

New Zealand have called up North Harbour’s Luke McAlister and hooker Corey Flynn into camp for the third and final test against the British and Irish Lions.

Eleven current or former All Blacks including Carlos Spencer have been named in the New Zealand Maori squad for matches against Fiji and the British and Irish Lions next month.

All Blacks great Jonah Lomu today confirmed he will make a long-awaited return to competitive rugby with New Zealand provincial side North Harbour.

London Irish have announced four new signings by the club, including a Scottish international.

New Zealand will leave it until the last minute to decide on the fitness of lock Ali Williams ahead of the World Cup.

David Wallace is believed to have regained his fitness ahead of Ireland’s clash with New Zealand in Lansdowne Road tomorrow.