All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster admits midfielder Sonny Bill Williams isn't playing at his peak currently but remains positive he is finding his footing.
Foster told media today as a result of the 33-year-old's recent struggles, the selection battles for the No.12 and No.13 black jerseys were getting tighter between Williams, Ryan Crotty, Jack Goodhue and Anton Lienert-Brown.
"He is still finding his top form, I think that it is a fair thing to say," Foster said of Williams.
"The other ones (midfielders in the squad), whenever they have gone out, they have done a really good job. I have been delighted by the four of them, having been working well together."
Williams, who picked up his 50th cap when starting against the Wallabies in Yokohama, has struggled for form and game time in 2018 with multiple injuries interrupting his season.
Since starting the third Test against France on June 23 in Dunedin, Williams has only made four Test appearances broken up over 245 minutes of play. He appeared in just six of the Blues' 16 Super Rugby matches this year.
Foster added that Goodhue, who missed the Japan leg of the tour with glandular fever, was back in contention for selection having overcome the illness and flying straight to London to join the team.
"There was a bit of fatigue at the end of last week, he's had a couple of really good days of training and looks like he's 100 per cent."
The All Blacks play England at 4am NZT at Twickenham on Sunday, with the team set to play the Test named later this week.
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