All Black World Cup squad named

By DANIEL GILHOOLY

UPDATE - 8.20pm - All Blacks coach John Mitchell's reputation for surprise selections continued tonight when he named new hooker Corey Flynn and flanker Daniel Braid in his Rugby World Cup squad.

The players who captured two major trophies this year -- along with the two bolters -- form the foundation of the 30-member squad for New Zealand's cup campaign in Australia in October-November.

Canterbury and Crusaders 22-year-old Flynn is a former Southland captain who played for New Zealand under-21.

Auckland openside flanker Braid, 22, played his only test against Wales on November's tour to Europe and is a former Colts team-mate of Flynn's.

The pair have benefited from Mitchell's desire for depth in specialist positions.

There was no place in the squad for seasoned internationals such as Andrew Mehrtens, Taine Randell, Christian Cullen, Anton Oliver and Jonah Lomu, who is undergoing dialysis following his liver problems.

Mitchell has named three hookers, three openside flankers and three halfbacks in his squad -- the third halfback being Otago's Byron Kelleher.

That is in response to World Cup tournament regulations which stipulate a 48-hour delay before a replacement can be called into a squad.

All 26 members of the squad who captured the Tri-Nations trophy and instigated the long-awaited return of the Bledisloe Cup from the Wallabies have been retained. Flanker Reuben Thorne will continue to captain the team and his deputy is centre Tana Umaga.

Kelleher's inclusion was signalled, as was that of Leon MacDonald.

The first-choice fullback in 2002, MacDonald missed selection for the original Tri-Nations squad because of on-going concussion symptoms but joined the tournament midway through.

The man he replaced, Ben Blair, has also held onto his position, leaving a 16-14 forward-back split.

Braid's selection meant there was no room for Otago lock Simon Maling, leaving just Ali Williams and Chris Jack as specialist lineout forwards. The third lock is former Australian rugby league international Brad Thorn.

Oliver was part of the All Blacks this year but he was dropped from the Tri-Nations squad, and has been surpassed by Flynn.

The squad has a strong Canterbury flavour, featuring 13 from that province, alongside nine from Auckland. Wellington has four, Otago three and Waikato one in flanker Marty Holah.

The squad will assemble later this week in Whangarei for the first of a series of pre-World Cup training camps.



Flynn said he was shocked to hear his name on TV when the team was announced by New Zealand Rugby Rugby Union chairman Jock Hobbs tonight.

"I didn't know until just now," he said.

"I haven't played much or any rugby really since I broke my arm (in early May).

"I'm shocked, I didn't expect it."

Mitchell said he and selectors Mark Shaw and Kieran Crowley had no reason to tinker with their Tri-Nations squad when they finalised their selection on Friday and he looked forward to lifting their game to another level.

"They're a wonderful group to work with, so we as selectors have put faith in those guys again," Mitchell said.

"It takes time to become cohesive. There's a lot of unity within the team and there's a lot of trust.

"I'm sure that after the break everyone's looking forward to getting back into their work. They're a special group of men."

He was forced to defend the omissions of Oliver and Mehrtens.

He said Oliver didn't bring the dynamism to his game of players like Flynn and first-choice rake Keven Mealamu, which is what they now demanded from hookers.

Mitchell said there was no room for Mehrtens as Aaron Mauger and Daniel Carter provided sufficient back-up to first-choice Carlos Spencer at first five-eighth.

He said it was important to create depth in other, specialist positions.

"The 30 really is a by-product of the 22," he said.

"The critical thing we look at is the 22 and we've made allowances for any likelihood of injury. That's the way we've looked at it."

Although he wouldn't name names, Mehrtens and Oliver are sure to be among "several" players Mitchell contacted by telephone today to break the bad news.

"It's very difficult, especially when all those players that we have phoned have put an enormous amount of effort in and this goal has been very meaningful for them," he said.

"Probably of all the phone calls and communication since I've been in this position, this is probably some of the hardest today."

Mitchell did admit to contacting winger Lomu, who missed out because he did not play enough this year due to his kidney condition.

"He has a wonderful gift to play rugby and I think it's wonderful he's giving it a go again," Mitchell said.

"He's realistic, he's been a fine ambassador for the All Blacks. I'm sure he was also very pleased with the way the guys have played during this year's Tri-Nations. It's a difficult situation for him."

The trickiest selection was naming a sixth loose forward, Braid, rather than a fourth lock.

"(Openside flanker) is a specialist area and critical to how we want to play," Mitchell said.

"I think Daniel is an outstanding loose forward. I was really impressed by his introduction to test rugby and I thought he was outstanding in Super 12 this year.

"Out of all the opensides in the country I think he deals with contact, he certainly provides continuity in that area, I think that's one of his strengths."

Mitchell indicated that most members of his squad would get field time during their four World Cup pool matches in October but said that may not apply to everyone.

He said it was inevitable that some players missed out altogether or received minimal chances, as was the case with outside backs Blair, Nonu and Ralph during the Tri-Nations.

Eight squad members would play for their NPC teams this weekend but Mitchell would not reveal who they were before he informed NPC coaches. That would be the case each week, he said.

However, he revealed there was a "high probability" that players from his test 15 would miss the NPC altogether. He was probably referring to the team who were successful against Australia in Auckland a week ago.

"We're really fortunate that the NPC is concurrent within our preparation. The back-up squad comes from the NPC. That's really important because it still makes the NPC in 2003 a meaningful competition."

Mitchell confirmed selection was based around playing an expansive game on the hard surfaces and warm weather likely to prevail during the tournament.

"We can play all kinds of conditions but you've obviously seen the way that we've wanted to play and hence the squad is of that kind of makeup," he said.

The squad is:

Backs: Mils Muliaina, Leon MacDonald, Ben Blair, Doug Howlett, Joe Rokocoko, Caleb Ralph, Tana Umaga, Ma'a Nonu, Aaron Mauger, Daniel Carter, Carlos Spencer, Justin Marshall, Steve Devine, Byron Kelleher.

Forwards: Jerry Collins, Rodney So'oialo, Richie McCaw, Marty Holah, Daniel Braid, Reuben Thorne (captain), Ali Williams, Chris Jack, Brad Thorn, Greg Somerville, Kees Meeuws, Dave Hewett, Carl Hoeft, Keven Mealamu, Mark Hammett, Corey Flynn.

- NZPA