NEW Zealand’s bid to win the Rugby World Cup on home soil has suffered a double injury setback after Colin Slade and Mils Muliaina were both ruled out for the rest of the tournament.

The All Blacks have called up Bath’s new recruit Stephen Donald, who was out fishing for whitebait when he received the call, and wing Hosea Gear.

Slade had become first choice fly-half after the All Blacks lost Dan Carter but suffered a groin tear in Sunday’s 33-10 quarter-final victory over Argentina.

Muliaina fractured his shoulder and failed to re-appear at half-time in what was his 100th – and now last – Test appearance for the All Blacks.

The All Blacks campaign has been beset by injuries, with star fly-half Carter ruled out with a groin tear and captain Richie McCaw playing through a foot problem.

New Zealand doctor Debs Robinson believes the injuries are down to the players’ workload, with the World Cup following hot on the heels of an extended Super Rugby season and the Tri Nations.

‘‘It’s a big tournament. The guys have played five weeks in a row now. It’s incredibly competitive,’’ said Robinson.

Gethin Jenkins has hailed Wales’ World Cup marvels as the best team he has played in during his 80-cap Test career.

The prop has performed a pivotal role in driving Wales towards a World Cup semifinal with France at Eden Park on Saturday.

Despite being sidelined by injury for most of 2011, he returned as a substitute during the pivotal Pool D victory over Samoa and then started the next three games, including the pulsating quarterfinal win against Ireland on Saturday.

Jenkins, 30, believes there can be little doubt where the current crop of players stand in terms of a Wales career that began for him nine years ago.

‘‘Gats (Wales coach Warren Gatland) got me before last weekend’s game and asked if I thought it was the best team I had played in,’’ Jenkins said.

‘‘I said ’we will see on Saturday’.

Afterwards, he asked me again, and I said ’yeah, it’s got to be now’.

‘‘Four years ago was very disappointing, losing to Fiji (at the last World Cup). We knew ourselves we weren’t up to the task on that day.

‘‘Things have changed in the last four years. We’ve had our highs and lows under Warren – the Grand Slam and then a few dips – but it’s all about the players you are bringing through and the way players and their mindsets are developing.

‘‘Everything is in place now. You’ve just got to bring your talent, your bit of skill to the team and bind it all together.

‘‘Certainly for this current group of players (the France semi-final) is our biggest game. I’m sure there is a lot of hype at home, a lot of talk of people getting last-minute flights over here.’’