STEVE BATES admits Carl Hayman could be persuaded to return to New Zealand next summer in order to further his World Cup ambitions, but the Newcastle Falcons director of rugby insists the tight head is still to decide on his future.

With Newcastle resting a number of key players for this afternoon’s LV= Cup group game at Worcester, Hayman is expected to be in Cardiff as New Zealand take on Wales in their opening autumn international.

The Kiwi rumour mill has been in overdrive this week, with a number of commentators suggesting that the Falcons skipper will return to his homeland when his contract expires at the end of the season.

With the All Black front row having struggled in the recent Tri Nations, Hayman could yet earn a surprise international recall for the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

That prospect is sure to appeal to the 29-year-old, but Bates claims this weekend’s meet up should not be interpreted as a precursor to a fulltime reunion next summer.

“Presumably Carl will go and see the All Blacks while they are over here because they’re good pals of his and it would be only natural for him to pop over and catch up,” said the Newcastle chief.

“I would expect him to go and see some of their games, but in terms of what happens after this season, we’ll just have to wait and see.

“The All Blacks are in a position now where their front row isn’t perhaps as strong as it has been in the past, he is an outstanding player in that area, and it’s just common sense that he will be someone they are targeting.

“In terms of whether or not Carl wants to play in the next World Cup for them, that’s one of those things that nobody can just assume. You can understand why he might want to go for it, but looking at it another way perhaps he has put that chapter of his career behind him.

“Nobody but Carl can answer that question, and I’m certainly not going to start putting words into his mouth.”

Hayman is unlikely to be the only Falcon watching some international action this weekend, as Bates has made 12 changes to the side that beat Worcester in a Guinness Premiership game at Kingston Park last Sunday.

England Sevens winger Uche Oduoza makes his Newcastle debut against his former club, while Cumbrian Mark Wilson also makes his first start on the openside flank after impressing for Blaydon.

England Under-20s fullback Tom Catterick is another player drafted in for a maiden start after coming off the bench to good effect in the recent win over Albi.

With Newcastle in a strong position in both the Premiership and Amlin Challenge Cup, the LV= Cup, the re-incarnation of last season’s EDF Energy Cup, may prove a competition too far for the Falcons squad.

Bates admits the modern game’s physical nature makes it impossible to name an unchanged side week after week, but the Newcastle boss denies that he has little interest in progressing in the least-prestigious of the domestic competitions.

NEWCASTLE FALCONS (vs Worcester): Catterick, Williams, Tait, Bobo, Oduoza, Miller, Charlton; Ovens, Walker, Ward, Levi, Sorenson, Browne, Wilson, Balding. Replacements: Vickers, Shiells, Brookes, Swinson, Afu, Pilgrim, Biggs, Amesbury.