All Blacks coach Graham Henry has given a provisional green light for Tanerau Latimer to fill Richie McCaw's openside jersey in rugby Tests against France and Italy next month.

Captain McCaw is ruled out of the three home Tests after scans revealed he had torn ligaments in his right knee.

The 68-Test veteran should be back for the Tri-Nations but with 2008 tourist Scott Waldrom also out of contention with a back injury, Henry is left scouring his No.7 options.

Latimer has been a trojan for the Chiefs on their path to Sunday morning's Super 14 final against the Bulls, making him an obvious frontrunner for the role.

Henry admitted the 23-year-old only narrowly missed out to Waldrom when the end-of-year tour squad was named six months ago.

"At the end of last year he was a tired athlete. He had played a full Super 14, he had captained the Bay of Plenty. He was ready to go fishing and chill out," Henry said.

"He's gone fishing, that's done him good and now he's ready to play.

"He's had a big Super 14, hasn't he? It's a different mental approach right now for him."

Henry was otherwise guarded in his selection approach now that the massively-influential McCaw was out.

The coach won't reveal his replacement skipper options, although Hurricanes No.8 Rodney So'oialo and Chiefs fullback Mils Muliaina are clearly the leading candidates.

"It's an important position, to lead the All Blacks. We're lucky we have a number of guys with leadership experience and one of those guys will take over the responsibility."

Henry said he won't consider incumbent No.8 So'oialo nor under-used Blues stalwart Josh Blackie as an openside option although "one or two" loose forward incumbents such as blindsides Adam Thomson and Kieran Read could be considered.

"We always wanted to have another player we thought could play at seven at international level. It may mean we have two now outside of Richie.

"That'll produce competition for the place and give us an insight into how those guys play at international level at No.7."

Henry was becoming frustrated with the New Zealand injury toll late in the Super 14, with winger Sitiveni Sivivatu, halfbacks Brendon Leonard and Andy Ellis, locks Ali Williams and Anthony Boric and flankers McCaw and Waldrom all been struck down.

There was encouraging news on the progress of Leonard (hamstring) and Williams (achilles).

Henry said both could be included or bracketed in his 26-man squad named on Sunday although he was wary of rushing them.

"We need to be wise about how we use those guys because if they get a repeat of the injury they've got, that could be the season," he said.

"We've just got to be patient and patience isn't a strong suit for both Ali and Brendon."

Facing their World Cup conquerors France without McCaw and injured star five-eighth Daniel Carter seemed to give Henry cause for inspiration rather than gloom.

"That's challenging, we'll be a better side for the experience and we'll be a better side going forward when Daniel and Richie come back into the team.

"It brings people on and for the coaches, it's another challenge, which I think we need."

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