New Zealand
All Blacks call up Slade and Parsons
November 3, 2014
Colin Slade kicks for goal to defeat the Wallabies, Australia v New Zealand, Bledisloe Cup, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, October 18, 2014
Colin Slade was perhaps unlucky to miss selection in the first place © Getty Images
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New Zealand have called up Colin Slade and James Parsons as replacement players on their season-ending tour.

Crusaders fly-half Slade effectively replaces wing Cory Jane while uncapped Blues hooker Parsons replaces Nathan Harris. Jane and Harris sustained respective hamstring and ankle injuries in the first half of the All Blacks' 74-6 win over the United States in Chicago on Saturday.

Slade and Parsons are not likely to feature against England at Twickenham on Saturday, but they could play a role in the subsequent Tests against Scotland and Wales.

All Blacks selectors had been expected to name a specialist wing such as Frank Halai or Patrick Osborne to replace Jane, but assistant coach Ian Foster said that Slade's versatility, form and knowledge of the team's game plan all worked in his favour.

Parsons has apparently leap-frogged Liam Coltman and Rhys Marshall in the pecking order after that pair and Harris were included in an All Blacks apprentice hooker program last year. Foster said the coaches had been keeping their eye on Parsons, and had asked him to bulk up last year.

Slade and Parsons each played for the Barbarians against Australia at Twickenham on Saturday, but Foster denied the hooker had won selection by virtue of being in London.

"In some ways it has been made simpler by the fact he is over here," he said. "But what is more important is that he has just come off a big game of rugby whereas maybe the other guys haven't had much rugby over the last two or three weeks."

© AAP

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