Ellis loses fitness race

Canterbury scrum-half Andy Ellis has been ruled out of Saturday's Air New Zealand Cup Final against Wellington, casting doubt over his availability for the All Blacks' end-of-year tour.

Canterbury scrum-half Andy Ellis has been ruled out of Saturday's Air New Zealand Cup Final against Wellington, casting doubt over his availability for the All Blacks' end-of-year tour.

Although Ellis was able to train with Canterbury on Thursday, the knee ligament damage he sustained during last weekend's semi-final victory over Hawke's Bay has not healed sufficiently.

He was ruled out after Canterbury's captain's run – a light work out before they headed to the capital.

Ellis has been replaced by Tyson Keats while Steve Alfeld comes on the bench.

The All Blacks medical staff have also been updated on Ellis' condition with a decision on his availability not expected until the 35-man tour party is named on Sunday.

Ellis started the season as the All Blacks number one half-back but a rib injury suffered during the opening Bledisloe Cup loss in Sydney has seen him usurped by Jimmy Cowan and Piri Weepu, who plays fly-half at Westpac Stadium this weekend.

If Ellis is also ruled out of the tour, Wellington number nine Alby Matthewson now looms as the third pick behind Cowan and Weepu for the one-off Test in Hong Kong before a Grand Slam attempt in Great Britain and Ireland – and a midweek fixture to commemorate Munster's 12-0 win over the 1978 All Blacks.

Canterbury coach Rob Penney had initially been optimistic that Ellis would be fit but he did not pull up well after Thursday's run.

Keats has proved an able deputy for Ellis though faces a huge challenge against the in-form Matthewson.

“I'm just taking a relaxed approach to it all. I don't want to get too wound up,” he said.

Canterbury (revised): 15 Scott Hamilton, 14 Paul Williams, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Tim Bateman, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Tyson Keats, 8 Kieran Read (c), 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Hayden Hopgood, 5 Isaac Ross, 4 Michael Paterson, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements: 16 Steve Fualau, 17 Owen Franks, 18 Nasi Manu, 19 George Whitelock, 20 Steve Alfeld, 21 Hamish Gard, 22 Adam Whitelock.