All Blacks to look at Sopoaga?

Cape Town - Highlanders flyhalf Lima Sopoaga has emerged as a possible replacement for injured Chiefs pivot Aaron Cruden in the All Blacks squad.

Cruden has been ruled out for six months with an ACL injury sustained in the Chiefs' win over the Crusaders and while Beauden Barrett, Colin Slade and Dan Carter are the favourites to be named in New Zealand's squad for the World Cup in England, All Blacks selector Grant Fox revealed that the door is not shut for other players if they perform well in Super Rugby.

"We haven't got much time at the end of the day, someone might get an opportunity. There's another guy in particular who is playing well in Lima Sopoaga," Fox told New Zealand's RadioSport.

"He quite possibly right at this point in time, is the form five-eighth of our teams in the competition.

"There's a young fella called Damian McKenzie, it's probably a little early for him yet but he's a real talent."

New Zealand kick off their World Cup campaign against Argentina on September 20.