Willie Mason is set to skipper Australia in next month's Test against New Zealand - a move certain to fuel tensions in the Kiwis camp after he mouthed obscenities during their performance of the haka in the opening fixture of last year's Tri-Nations tournament.

With an MRI scan yesterday confirming that an ankle injury to Kangaroos captain Darren Lockyer would keep him sidelined for six weeks, Mason is favourite to deputise in the April 20 Test at Suncorp Stadium - unless selectors decide to rush Danny Buderus almost straight into the side after a six month lay-off.

Buderus was suspended for six matches on a grade-three dangerous throw charge arising out of the first week of last year's finals series and, after earlier withdrawing from the Tri-Nations for personal reasons, he is not due to return until Newcastle's round-four match against Melbourne on April 7.

Storm hooker Cameron Smith filled in for Buderus last year and is considered Australia's long-term hooker and a possible future captain. But Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy, also Ricky Stuart's assistant at Test level, doesn't feel Smith is ready to skipper the Storm on his own, while the presence of Buderus and Wests Tigers hooker Robbie Farah cast doubts over the security of his position in the Kangaroos.

Halfback Johnathan Thurston has been appointed captain of North Queensland this season, but he only made his Test debut last year and will have to form a new scrumbase combination with whoever takes over Lockyer's No.6 jersey - likely to be either Melbourne's Greg Inglis or Manly's Jamie Lyon, both new converts to the five-eighth role.

Mason wrote in his first Sun-Herald column last week of his lifelong ambition to captain Australia. "If it happens, I'm sure it would be the proudest moment of my life," Mason said.

Despite the controversy sparked by his actions before kick-off in last October's Test in Auckland, Mason has the respect of the other Australian players and is considered by Stuart as one of the team's leaders.

Meanwhile, Lockyer yesterday vowed to do everything possible to return before the Broncos' round-eight match against Souths, but said he would not risk further injury by coming back before he was 100 per cent fit.

"I'm disappointed that I'm going to be out for that long but I'm going to do everything now to start the healing process," Lockyer said.

In other news, Manly trio Matt Orford (knee), Steve Menzies (abdominal strain) and Steve Matai (ankle) will today learn the full extent of injuries that forced them from the field during Saturday night's 32-6 defeat of Canberra.