McCaw back for All Blacks

McCaw: Passed fit

Watch the Tri-Nations live on Sky Sports from July 18th.

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Captain Richie McCaw will be fit to lead New Zealand in this season's Tri-Nations series.

The flanker has overcome a knee injury to skipper the injury-plagued All Blacks against Australia and reigning world champions South Africa.

Vice-captain Rodney So'oialo and winger Sitiveni Sivivatu are also back from injury and included in a 30-man squad.

But the country's rugby selectors have found no solution to their fly-half dilemma following the loss of Daniel Carter to an Achilles tendon injury.

Key

Carter has been the key to New Zealand's successes in recent years, notably the 2005 series sweep of the British and Irish Lions, and no player has yet been able to step up and fill his role.

In his absence, Stephen Donald and Luke McAlister have been named as the only options in the party who could start at number 10.

McAlister is an inside centre who plays reluctantly in the fly-half role, while Donald is still recovering from a hamstring strain.

Piri Weepu, one of three half-backs selected, provides a stopgap option in the absence of either of the two specialists.

Kept faith

Coach Graham Henry has kept faith with the bulk of players who started against France and Italy, although he has dropped wing Lelia Masaga for Hosea Gear, who has been promoted along with lock Jason Eaton from the Junior All Blacks squad which won the Pacific Nations Cup.

Of the other players chosen, utility back Isaia Toeava is likely to miss the first three Tests with a stress fracture in his left foot.

The squad will assemble in Wellington for a two-day training camp next week to start preparing for their opening match against Australia in Auckland on July 18th.

Henry said in a statement: "It's going to be a huge contest right from the first Test.

"But this group of players has the resolve and the character to meet that challenge head on so we are expecting it to be another massive competition between the three top-ranked countries in world rugby."

Squad - Backs: Mils Muliaina, Cory Jane, Joe Rokocoko, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Hosea Gear, Isaia Toeava, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Luke McAlister, Stephen Donald, Piri Weepu, Jimmy Cowan, Brendon Leonard.

Forwards: Rodney So'oialo, Richie McCaw (captain), Tanerau Latimer, Kieran Read, Jerome Kaino, Jason Eaton, Isaac Ross, Bryn Evans, Brad Thorn, John Afoa, Neemia Tialata, Owen Franks, Tony Woodcock, Wyatt Crockett, Andrew Hore, Keven Mealamu, Aled de Malmanche.