By Andrew Fraser BBC Sport Online

Justin Marshall has warned New Zealand's rivals that the All Blacks will remain a force despite losing captain Anton Oliver to a long-term injury.

Hooker Oliver will miss the entire southern hemispere international season after rupturing an Achilles tendon playing for Otago Highlanders in the Super 12 last weekend.

"Anton is a senior man, and when you add the captaincy to that it deprives us of a great deal of experience," Marshall told BBC Sport Online.

"He is very difficult to replace and he will be sorely missed, but the All Blacks have just got to get on with the job without him.

"It will put more onus on the experienced players to make up for the loss of their leader.

"And it helps that we know he's not going to be there for a while because it gives us time to prepare and introduce new talent.

"People always get excited about opportunities and they tend to rise to the occasion."

Oliver's absence leaves the All Blacks with a dilemma as they search for a new captain for the Tests against Italy, Ireland and Fiji and the Tri-Nations series against Australia and South Africa.

Canterbury skipper Reuben Thorne, Wellington centre Tana Umaga and stand-in Highlanders hooker Tom Willis have all been mentioned as possible replacements.

Words of comfort

"Being the New Zealand captain is a big job - about as big as being the prime minister," said scrum-half Marshall, who captained the side in 1997.

"It's not just about leading the team on the field, and the player in question has got to be comfortable with that.

"Reuben and Tana's names have been mentioned, and someone even suggested me. But I'm sure all the players are thinking like me and worrying about getting in the team first."

Oliver will miss the Highlanders' Super 12 semi-final clash with Marshall's side Canterbury Crusaders on Saturday.

But Marshall offered him some words of comfort as he embarks on the road back to fitness.

"I snapped my Achilles back in 1996, and I phoned Anton to let him know that I've never had any trouble with it since," he added.

"It only took me three and a half months to recover, but I told him he might have to wait a bit longer because I didn't have to push in scrums."