Brooke pays tribute to Marshall Marshall agrees switch to Leeds

The 31-year-old star, who has agreed a two-year deal with Leeds Tykes, looked as though he had brought his 10-year Test career to an end on Saturday.

But he says he has not given up getting involved in 2007 if he is playing well.

"In my case the door is slightly ajar. It's not set in concrete and it's a long way off for me and this team, but you never say never," he said.

Marshall played around 30 minutes of the All Blacks' victory over the Lions on Saturday in what was meant to be a farewell to the national team.

He received an emotional send-off, with captain Tana Umaga making a special trip to the podium to encourage the crowd to congratulate one of the team's "great warriors".

But Marshall, who made his Test debut in 1995 and captained New Zealand for five Tests in 1997, said: "I finish in May of the year of the World Cup with my contract with Leeds.

"I said to (coach Graham Henry) 'Look, if there's some injury concerns or you don't feel there's enough depth, then I'm very keen to be involved if I'm playing well enough and you think that I could be involved in the side'.

Henry said Marshall could have a part to play, saying: "There's a lot of water to run under the bridge between now and then.

"But we've both got open minds. If he's playing well and we think he's in the top three, he'll get in."