Cullen was a great player, but that's in the past, says Mitchell

By WYNNE GRAY

Rejecting Christian Cullen for the All Blacks was solely a case of assessing his qualities against other fullback candidates, coach John Mitchell said yesterday.

"There is no personal conflict or anything like that," he said.

"In fact, Christian went through some tough times last year and I went and met him several times to help him."

Cullen's growing frustration at his inability to get back into the All Blacks has pushed the 27-year-old into a three-year contract with the Munster club in Ireland.



Cullen, the All Blacks' record test try-scorer, issued a statement yesterday vowing to fight for his World Cup place, but his career in the black jersey appears to have stalled at 58 tests and 46 tries.

He labelled the Munster move "a tremendous opportunity" and made a point of thanking his supporters.

After the Tri-Nations series last year and the All Blacks' trip to Britain, Cullen was given a fix-it list of skills and areas of his game the selectors wanted him to improve.

There had been some interaction during the Super 12, Mitchell said, but he had not spoken to Cullen since the first All Black squad was chosen in May.

Cullen's decision to take up a contract with Munster did not affect his All Black chances, Mitchell said.

"I don't blame any player if they chose to go. It is just part of a global rugby career," he said.

He viewed Cullen in a similar way to former skipper Taine Randell.

Both were high-quality rugby players still capable of making the All Black squad for the World Cup.

"But it is a case that in the rankings there are a couple ahead of them. We can't guarantee anyone a place ... " Mitchell said.

From the way Mitchell was talking, it was clear Cullen had not earned a reprieve for Sunday's announcement of the 26-player Tri-Nations squad.

It seems Canterbury fullback Ben Blair, who was in strong form in his midweek comeback to rep rugby, will get the nod if there is a change in the backs or Leon MacDonald is unfit.

"As three selectors [with Kieran Crowley and Mark Shaw] we have to make judgments," Mitchell said.

"Christian was a bloody great rugby player, but that is the past. We look at current form."

The panel wanted a goalkicking fullback and Cullen did not fit that requirement.

Nor was his kicking in general play especially strong.

"Positionally he also tends to get caught," Mitchell said.

"He gets kicked at a lot now with a kick-chase line and he will either carry the ball or chip it, but that is an opportunity for the opposition."

He repeated minor errors, he could be careless with his passing, his speed had dropped a little and he had been closed down more by inside defences.

Cullen had wonderful timing and few could emulate his runs off team-mates, but he was not always switched on to team tasks.

"He scores tries, but when they are not on he takes himself out of play. We wanted more accuracy from him at fullback.

"I was a huge fan of him before I came into this job, but we are moving on.

"He is a fantastic bloke, a great guy and there is no personal conflict."

Inside track:

* Born: February 12, 1976, Paraparaumu.
* Physical: 1.80m, 85kg.
* School: Kapiti College.
* Teams: New Zealand Secondary Schools (1993-94), New Zealand under-19 (1994), New Zealand Colts (1995), New Zealand Sevens, Manawatu, Wellington, Hurricanes.
* All Blacks debut: June 7, 1996, v Samoa, Napier.
* All Blacks appearances: 60, including 58 tests.
* Test points: 236 (46 tries, 3 conversions).
* New Zealand's leading try-scorer in tests.
* Third on test try-scoring list, behind England's Rory Underwood (50) and Australia's David Campese (64).
* Most capped All Black fullback.
* Ten tries against South Africa, twice as many as any other player.
* First 51 test matches were consecutive, which placed him fifth in consecutive appearances behind Sean Fitzpatrick, Australia's Joe Roff, Ireland's Willie John McBride and Wales' Gareth Edwards.
* Sixteen tries in Tri-Nations matches a record.
* Fifty-six Super 12 tries, a record.