All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster is more than pleased with the progression of the incoming crop of rookies but ensures there will be no home town favouritism when it comes to selecting the side to take on Wales in Saturday's third Test in Dunedin.
"Once they come in here, they're an All Black," stated Foster. "Our job is to make decisions based on what we think's best for the team."
"If players get the chance to be an All Black it's because they've earned it, not because of the ground we're playing on.
"We're looking at how to grow our squad. We want to put the best team on the park for the here and now, and we also want to make sure we have the best team going forward to cover any injuries.
"That's the balance."
Foster was able to confirm that first-five Aaron Cruden is making an encouraging recovery from the head-knock that ended his second Test early.
"He's come through really well. We're excited with the news, the scans have come through clear.
"He's on light duties but we expect him to progress pretty strongly, pretty quickly."
Centre Malakai Fekitoa was another who had his second Test cut short, a nasty head-clash with Welsh counterpart Jamie Roberts seeing him bloodied and helped from the field, sent immediately into the concussion testing protocol.
"His head's good, it's just the cut there. So we're just taking him out of any training to give him an extra 24 hours for that to heal up," said Foster.
Winger Julian Savea missed the second Test for altogether different reasons, his spot taken by Ben Smith after Israel Dagg was inserted at the fullback position.
However Foster insists he's by no means on the outer, his efforts at training indicative of his desire to reclaim the 11 jersey.
"He's been working hard, doing everything he can to get back.
"He showed footwork in that first Test that he hasn't quite shown before and I was excited by that, but he was still a little too minded in some of things he did.
"We saw a player who wasn't quite as instinctive as he needed to be. We just thought we'd give him a chance to get his head clear."
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