All Blacks: Slade's selection hard to fathom

Canterbury fullback Colin Slade has been included in the All Blacks training squad as cover for injured midfielders Conrad Smith, Luke McAlister and Tamati Ellison. Photo / Getty Images

Whichever way you dice it, Colin Slade's inclusion in the All Black squad is unusual, one that rates with the selection of Isaia Toeava in 2005 as one of the more exotic choices by the panel.

A five-eighths whose skills allowed him to fill a Crusaders' vacancy on the wing, Slade has, according to a New Zealand Rugby Union communique, been picked for today's national training camp as cover for injured midfielders Conrad Smith, Luke McAlister and Tamati Ellison.

Slade has shown himself to be a fine allround footballer in his brief career but this elevation and as midfield cover, might even have stunned him and his most ardent supporters.

Good luck to Slade but the decision does make you wonder what the selectors are up to. It raises the antennae.

Is this a case of selection recession or a piece of cost-cutting convenience because Slade lives in Christchurch, the venue for today's All Black camp?

Or is there a more Machiavellian twist, is this another step in some plan to disperse the Crusaders' five-eighths talent? They have Daniel Carter, Slade and Stephen Brett who was in an earlier All Black camp this season.

Not long ago, All Black coach Graham Henry was urging Brett and Slade to move away from the Super 14 shadow which would be cast by Carter at the Crusaders.

Powerbrokers in that franchise will point out that Brett is an able fullback while Slade has proven ability on the wing and neither will be going anywhere.

Selectors have named 30 players for today's camp. Adam Thomson and Tom Donnelly have been called up as cover for a sore Kieran Read and the damaged Bryn Evans.

Curiously, given the choice of three halfbacks and five props for this camp, the selectors have not called up another hooker after the injury which ended Keven Mealamu's season.

But it is the introduction of Slade which will have minds buzzing and the theories circulating.

Brett spent time with the squad this year and with injuries to Donald and McAlister, was being considered for the Eden Park test against the Wallabies. Perhaps the national selectors are evaluating him against Slade as they sift through ideas about end of year tour selections.

Slade does bring the right sort of rugby pedigree with Juniors, under-21 and under-19 honours, while he has also shown his aptitude by working his way to an Arts degree.

Quizzed about the five-eighths issue before the Eden Park test, Henry suggested Brett and Slade both needed to dispense with their provincial loyalty to continue their development.

"I think they have to for their own sake, for their own future in the game," he said.

"Obviously Daniel is secure and for the guys to move on in the game and see how good they're going to be ... I think when they're blocked they have to make good decisions about what they do.

"There've been players in New Zealand in the past that have had a lot of loyalty to a particular province, they haven't moved and fulfilled their potential."

Auckland and the Blues were apparently very close to enticing Carter north next season. He has business and personal links to Auckland and took some time before signing on again with the red and blacks.

Canterbury resisted calls in 2005 to share their talents when they had Carter, Aaron Mauger and Andrew Mehrtens in their protected player pool.

All Blacks training squad
John Afoa, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Wyatt Crockett, Aled de Malmanche, Stephen Donald, Tom Donnelly, Jason Eaton, Owen Franks, Hosea Gear, Andrew Hore, Cory Jane, Jerome Kaino, Tanerau Latimer, Brendon Leonard, Richie McCaw, Mils Muliaina, Ma'a Nonu, Kieran Read, Josevata Rokocoko, Isaac Ross, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Colin Slade, Rodney So'oialo, Adam Thomson, Brad Thorn, Isaia Toeava, Neemia Tialata, Piri Weepu and Tony Woodcock.