MacDonald won't be rushed back

No rush: MacDonald has been given all the time he needs to recover

The All Blacks are happy to give concussed team-mate Leon MacDonald as much time as he needs to overcome his latest head knock.

MacDonald will not be on the All Blacks flight to South Africa on Friday for next weekend's Tri-Nations match, as he makes a gradual return from concussion suffered against the Springboks almost a month ago.

The Crusaders veteran was withdrawn from the first Bledisloe Cup/Tri-Nations clash with Australia in Sydney two weeks ago, with team management initially saying he was battered and bruised.

But after being ruled out of the Eden Park encounter against the Wallabies a week later, the exact nature of his injury was revealed.

Coach Graham Henry says his star full-back is recovering nicely and is doing light exercise at the moment, with plans to ease him back into contact again with his provincial side Canterbury in the Air New Zealand Cup.

"There was confidentiality around his injury which I can understand, with a family and kids and so on," Henry told Yahoo!Xtra.

"But he is making good progress, he has started to train and he has been good.

"So it is just a matter of time really."

Another player that won't be making the long haul to the African continent is injured winger Rudi Wulf who is still suffering from a bruised knee.

"The guys weren't right," Henry said.

"It was tough for them, but they will come right in a short period of time I am sure.

"But they weren't right."

MacDonald's All Black team-mate Mils Muliaina said his fellow full-back's latest sidelining had rocked the New Zealand squad with fears over his well-being.

The team have shown plenty of support for their respected colleague.

"It is pretty concerning, for a mate to go through something like that," Muliaina said.

"He is a world-class player and someone with a lot of experience that we really, really needed. It was really disappointing to see him pull out.

"Hopefully he is alright. I think it is just more concerning for a mate and a player to go through what he is going through.

"So hopefully he can come right in the next couple of weeks."

Muliaina said he had not spoken to MacDonald since he returned to his family last week, instead opting to let him have some much-needed space.

"When he was pulled out he just went home," he said.

"It is always hard to stick around. When you are injured you just feel like a food bill and something like that.

"Sometimes going away and getting away from the environment is a good thing. I think we are all pretty concerned about him.

"As I said, hopefully he can get out there and be part of the team again."

Isaia Toeava has been called in to replace MacDonald on tour.

Unwanted since last year's World Cup, Toeava may be named on the bench in the Tri-Nations match against the Springboks in Cape Town on August 17.

The versatile 22-year-old, who last weekend started at full-back in Auckland's loss to Counties Manukau in Pukekohe, was labelled a player of special talent by the All Blacks coaches after being selected for the 2005 end of season tour.

Despite stringing together 15 Test appearances since his debut against Scotland in Edinburgh, Toeava has struggled to make an impact at the highest level and his last match for New Zealand was when he took the field as a substitute in the World Cup quarter-final loss to France.

"Isaia is currently at full-back for Auckland and has played there previously at the international and the Super 14 level," Henry said.

"He's also got the ability to play elsewhere in the back-line which is helpful when we are a long way from home."