Manawatu trial for second Test wannabes

CLIVE WOODWARD has delayed naming his team for tomorrow’s match against Manawatu in Palmerston North (8.10am).

With skipper Brian O’Driscoll, Richard Hill and Tom Shanklin ruled out of the tour due to injuries, as well as Danny Grewcock to a two-month suspension, Woodward now has 41 fit players from which to select two squads of 22 for games within five days. Clearly, the numbers don’t add up and with any likely replacements unavailable until at least the final midweek game of the tour against Auckland on July 5, Woodward’s once seemingly extravagant squad numbers are now stretched to the limit.

“We had a bad day in more ways than one,” said Woodward yesterday of the first Test in Christchurch.