Liam Messam, the sole All Blacks player yet to feature at the Rugby World Cup, has been passed fit to face Tonga but Waisake Naholo is subject of injury concerns.
Assistant coach Ian Foster said Messam, who did not play in the opening win over Argentina before being ruled out of the matches against Namibia and Georgia with a tight calf muscle, was over the injury. The 31-year-old will likely make the starting side to face Tonga in the All Blacks' final pool match at St James' Park in Newcastle's on Friday, but there are concerns about Naholo after the winger made a try-scoring return to action against Georgia after recovering from a broken right leg. Naholo has bruising to the same leg has taken only a limited role in training.
"We were pretty precautionary today and we'll assess him Wednesday morning and make our decision then," Foster said.
The All Blacks selectors will be keen to give Naholo more game time as he played just 50 minutes against Georgia in his first outing since breaking his leg. Naholo showed his try-scoring ability by scything through to score in the third minute against Georgia, but he was quiet afterward in a stuttering display by the All Blacks.
Prop Charlie Faumuina, who started in Cardiff, also sat out training with a hamstring complaint while midfield back Sonny Bill Williams was sidelined with the flu, but Foster expected both would be considered for the final match before the knockout phase begins.