Henry expected to stick with experience

Waiting game: The likes of Benson Stanley may have to wait a little longer

All Black coach Graham Henry is expected to name a squad based on experience rather than youth for the upcoming fixtures.

Henry admitted several young players had put their hands up for selection during the Super 14, including Blues centre Benson Stanley.

But he saw them more as prospects for selection for the end-of-year tour of Europe, rather than for the home Tests against Ireland and England next month.

He said the Super 14 was a tough, high-pressure, four-month tournament and young players needed a bit of space afterwards to recuperate and to think about their development.

"So I don't think you'll see a whole host of 19, 20, 21 year olds in the All Blacks," he said of the June Tests on Stuff.nz.

"But maybe when we get extra numbers at the end of the year and we go from 26 to the early 30s, there will be a few young guys in that tour."

The All Black squad is due to be announced on June 1, the day after the Super 14 Final, and Henry has two areas of concern, at second row and inside centre.

"The middle row is a concern and I think we've still got some talking and viewing to do in that position," he said.

"There's not a lot of international experience at second five-eighth, so I guess they are the two major holes."

Since the last World Cup, the All Blacks have lost the likes of locks Chris Jack and Keith Robinson, and inside backs Luke McAlister and Aaron Mauger.

New Zealand open their test programme against Ireland in Wellington on June 7.

They then face England in Auckland on June 14 and in Christchurch on June 21.