Assistant coach Wayne Smith has revealed the All Blacks plan to meet with prop Carl Hayman and have also sounded out other British-based New Zealand players who could be contenders for the 2011 World Cup squad.

Hayman was one of several high-profile All Blacks to head overseas following the 2007 World Cup and he is playing for Newcastle in the Guinness Premiership.

But he has left the door open to return to New Zealand in time for the World Cup and, with the All Blacks currently on tour, Smith has made it clear the welcome mat would be rolled out for the big front-rower.

Smith said: "I think Carl will probably join the team at some stage to say g'day to the guys.

"But he's the sort of guy who makes his own mind up. He's not the sort of guy you coerce into anything.

"You don't want players to be talked into coming back. You want players who really want to come back.

"Carl knows that he'd be welcome back. He's been a great All Black and we love him. He's just got to make his own mind up."

Smith would not name the other players who had been sounded out.

He told reporters: "We talked to a lot of the players over here who we thought were a possibility of coming back. Then you've got to leave them to decide what they want to do.

"You'd want them back by the middle of next year to give them a decent crack at it."

Luke McAlister has already returned after his stint with Sale, while lock Chris Jack, who went to Saracens at the end of 2007, will be looking to press his international claims again when he resumes with the Crusaders in next year's Super 14 competition.