New Zealand will have to wait on test results for injured back rows Kieran Read and Adam Thomson.

The duo picked up knocks during the All Blacks’ 25-20 Tri-Nations defeat to Australia on Saturday.

Number eight Read left the field with 15 minutes played after a series of heavy collisions, while blindside flanker Thomson was forced off just before half-time with heavy bandaging on his arm.

"We're pretty positive really about Kieran, the doctor thinks that he will be able to play in the World Cup, maybe a slow start, but really I'm only speculating," coach Graham Henry said. "I'm hopeful".

But Thomson’s injury has proved to be a worry. "I don't think it's been injured before but it doesn't look good," Henry said. "There's nothing we can do, we just have to wait for the results and go on from there."

New Zealand kick off their World Cup campaign against Tonga on Friday, September 9.