Rugby: 'Not too late' to re-sign Spencer

By CHRIS RATTUE

Carlos Spencer's agent insisted last night that the mercurial Blues back has not signed for English club Leicester, and that the New Zealand rugby union still had the chance to re-sign him.

Speculation has been rife that the first five-eighths, who missed out on the latest All Black squad of 26, is set to clinch a huge deal with the English side.

Spencer's career took another twist yesterday when he harmed his chances of winning a recall to the All Black squad by failing to turn up for a Maori trial in Whakatane.

The no-show by Spencer, who is just back from a Barbarians trip to Britain, meant he missed out on the Maori squad from which a team to play Scotland at New Plymouth on June 17 will be selected.

By at least showing up he would have indicated his desire to take any opportunity to regain a test place.

Spencer, who has played 12 tests, would have been assured of a place in the Maori side by just turning up as a spectator in Whakatane.

While his ability to face the Scots may have been in doubt because of his knee injury, if he was able to take the field it would have been a royal chance to show his fitness and form.

New Zealand Rugby Football Union chief executive David Rutherford said Spencer had not breached any rules, but added, "He has missed an opportunity. He has missed out on the chance to play in front of the All Black selectors."

Spencer has been told not to take any part in contact training until Monday. He was a guest of the Barbarians club, but could not play for them because of the knee injury.

His NZRFU and Auckland contracts expire at the end of this year. He received a big offer from Leicester some time ago, but the NZRFU has the first right of refusal, so the player and national body are in negotiation.

His agent, David Jones, has also been in England but said he was there on business unrelated to Spencer's future. Jones said he was angered by suggestions the player had gone "awol," and that he could not possibly have signed for Leicester while still negotiating with the NZRFU.

Maori coach Matt Te Pou talked to Spencer last week, when he asked him to be in Whakatane yesterday.

Te Pou said that despite Spencer's injury, he still expected him to attend, as had three other All Black discards who did not play but were named in the Norm Hewitt-captained Maori squad last night.

"He was not here and I am disappointed to say the least," Te Pou said.

"I know what I said to him, to be here on Thursday. I can't recall exactly what he said.

"We are very proud to be the Maori team but we are also a New Zealand team - the All Blacks are the highest level and we are ranked next.

"Obviously, professional sports people have obligations under their contracts, but that is something for New Zealand to deal with.

"We rested Daryl Gibson, Caleb Ralph and Greg Feek because they had just played in the big final for the Crusaders, but they were still at the ground signing autographs, doing all the running around, helping out.

"It was good enough for them to be here."

Meanwhile, Auckland and Blues chief executive Geoff Hipkins said he was very keen for Spencer to remain in New Zealand.

* The players in the Maori trial had difficulty handling and kicking the new adidas balls being used in New Zealand.

Te Pou said that with more practice, the players could become accustomed to them, but the balls were skinnier than usual and "floated."

The adidas balls will be used for the tri-nations games in this country, although South Africa and Australia have deals to use other brands.