Injury blow for All Black Jane

Winger Jane has nailed down a regular All Blacks spot in 2010

New Zealand will be without winger Cory Jane for Saturday's match against England because of a rib injury.

Jane, 27, was injured in the 26-24 defeat by Australia and although scans showed he has not broken a rib, he does have deep bruising to his chest wall.

Hosea Gear and Isaia Toeava are in contention to replace him for the match at Twickenham.

When asked if Jane would play, assistant coach Wayne Smith confirmed "he needs a week to recover".

Smith was non-committal about whether former rugby league star Sonny Bill Williams would earn his first All Blacks cap on Saturday.

Williams has impressed for Canterbury in the domestic ITM Cup in New Zealand but Smith said the 6ft 4in centre was still adjusting to the tactics and game plan employed by the All Blacks.

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"As soon as he is comfortable with that, then he should be on the field. I don't think he is too far away from being more comfortable. We will just wait and see," said Smith.

Williams said he was very keen to get out there and play but accepted he had to get fully up to speed with the All Blacks' way of doing things.

"I don't consider myself an All Black until I've played a game so I'm definitely itching to get out there, but if it's not this week I'll just be doing what I did last week, head down and trying to learn as much as I can," he said.

"There's been a lot of information to take in but so far I'm happy with the way I'm going and if I get that chance I'll have to try and make it count."

New Zealand name their team at 0530 GMT on Thursday morning, while England announce their line-up on Tuesday at 1200 GMT.

England are likely to make minimal changes from the side which beat Australia in Sydney in June, with the fit-again Andrew Sheridan set to replace Tim Payne at loose-head prop.

Dylan Hartley, who missed the summer tour through injury, is battling for a place at hooker with Steve Thompson.

Captain Lewis Moody, who suffered an eye injury last month, is expected to be fit after coming through 80 minutes for club side Bath on Sunday.

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