Hosea Gear's All Blacks dream is back on just days after it was close to being extinguished.
Gear has been handed a spot in the wider training squad for the second camp in Wellington alongside Chiefs Hooker Hika Elliot.
It comes just days after Gear retracted on a lucrative contract with Japanese club Toshiba.
Gear says the deal was as good as done as there was a verbal agreement but his brother Rico asked him if he really wanted to leave and that helped him decide to stay.
Rico Gear was in a similar situation as his younger brother after being an All Black in 2004, but struggling to regain his spot in the following years, and therefore taking a contract over seas.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has also picked Hika Elliot to cover for injured Blues captain Keven Mealamu.
Hansen expects Mealamu to be fit for at least some part of next month's Ireland tests.
The Blues hooker hasn't played in Super Rugby for six weeks since injuring his calf muscle and was considered doubtful for any of the three tests.
Chiefs hooker Hika Elliot has replaced Mealamu in the wider training squad for this week's camp in Wellington.
But Hansen says the latest update with Mealamu is very positive.
He says Mealamu's progressing and they're confident they'll see him in one of the tests.
Steve Hansen says TJ Perenara is also a future All Black, but they don't want to throw him in the deep end.
- Rhema News/Newstalk ZB
