All Blacks coach Steve Hansen won’t rule out plucking Andrew Hore out of club rugby to resume his Test career next year if things get desperate at hooker.
Hore’s future beyond this weekend’s Test against Ireland is unclear for his coaches and teammates.
The 35-year-old is likely to play a part in Dublin on Sunday after not being selected for the wins over France and England this month.
However, Hansen isn’t sure what the front-rower’s intentions are for 2014 after missing out on a Super Rugby contract.
Hore made vague references to retirement earlier in the tour but Hansen said he hadn’t been told that by the 82-Test veteran.
“I genuinely think he would still like to be there but he also knows, at some point, he’s going to have to step aside,” Hansen said.
“What we do have to do is take particular note of Super Rugby next year at hooker and see if we can find someone putting their hand up that we can get really excited about.”
The only team Hore has confirmed he will represent in 2014 is his Maniatoto clubs.
Hansen said that wouldn’t necessarily rule him out All Blacks selection but it would require a series of events to work in his favour.
“Anything’s possible. If, heaven forbid, we lost (hookers) Dane Coles and Keven Mealamu, and he (Hore) is available and playing some rugby and we deem his fitness to be good enough, then we’d probably look at him.
“But it’s going to be hard to judge his performance if he’s not playing Super Rugby.”
All Blacks prop Wyatt Crockett said Hore hadn’t revealed his intentions to any teammate.
If it is his Test swan song, then Crockett says Hore’s contribution should be acknowledged.
“One thing that stands out for me with his leadership is the fact that he’ll challenge the coaches,” Crockett said.
“You need guys in the team like that who say ‘no, practically, this ain’t going to work’.”