Devine, Spencer shock choices

By WYNNE GRAY

Auckland pair Steve Devine and Carlos Spencer are the shock spearheads in an All Black side with five new caps who will try to crack an England record of 15 straight wins at Twickenham on Sunday.

The decision will have stunned England, who would have been preparing to target regular first five-eighths Andrew Mehrtens and will now be very uneasy about their own defensive systems against the talented Spencer.

Devine's selection will also have them agitated after the International Rugby Board gave the halfback a belated dispensation yesterday to start his All Black career.

England last lost at their home ground three years ago when they were beaten 30-16 by the men in black in their World Cup pool match.

On Sunday, they will tangle with an All Black side who have included Devine, midfielder Keith Lowen, locks Ali Williams and Keith Robinson, and Taranaki hooker Andrew Hore for their test debuts.

The elevation of Devine capped an extraordinary 24 hours for the halfback, who needed an IRB clearance after he had broken the retrospective rules by playing sevens for Australia in 1998.

Two years ago Spencer started as first five-eighths against Italy in the last of his 14 internationals. Since then, the 27-year-old has been injured, out of favour or considered as a fullback.

But his work there and at five-eighths for Auckland this season persuaded Mitchell to make his left-field choice for Sunday, benching goalkicking machine Mehrtens and favouring halfback Danny Lee.

That reshuffle meant Christian Cullen losing out to Ben Blair for the fullback slot because of the Cantabrian's goalkicking.

While the new guard was always going to be picked after the number of tour defections, the elevation of the Auckland duo and the choice of Joe McDonnell to start as loosehead prop would have stumped most amateur selectors.

The 29-year-old McDonnell was a bolter in the mid-year squad, a ball-playing prop who was used against Italy and Fiji, but became a bench player for the Tri-Nations behind Dave Hewitt.

Against England, and especially their tighthead tank Phil Vickery, there was a feeling the powerful scrummaging of Tony Woodcock or Carl Hayman might get first preference, with McDonnell on the bench.

The former bus driver lists his favourite holiday destination as Britain, but Twickenham will be no vacation venue for the Otago star in the tussle of muscle against the large England pack.

That will hold the key to Spencer's ability to take the match to England, with his inventive straight running, confusing offloads and varied kicking game.

New Zealand announced their side last night after England, who revealed some of their tactics by picking usual blindside flanker Richard Hill on the open where he can be used more as a driving, mauling forward to support crashball runners in midfield.

They also discarded smaller flyer Neil Back and replaced him with his Leicester team-mate Lewis Moody, a much taller and more athletic flanker.

Former England skipper and No 8 Lawrence Dallaglio thought Back would get the nod because of his better defensive work, but England coach Clive Woodward, a strong advocate of Moody, clearly won the selection table battle.

That decision also went against the thoughts of Leicester coach and former England No 8 Dean Richards, who had tried to promote Back's cause.

Moody is 23, and was about to leave Leicester 15 months ago where he was in an openside congestion with Back and former All Black Josh Kronfeld.

However, Richards persuaded Moody to stay, telling him he would learn more from Kronfeld than making a move, with the result that Kronfeld has played little for his new club.

Matt Dawson won the halfback duel with Andy Gomersall.

James Simpson-Daniel is the only new cap on the right wing where he will mark Jonah Lomu.

Simpson-Daniel is 20 and 78kg, but he is quick. His recent form and the way he skinned Lomu in a Barbarians game mid-year still enthuse England that he is the man to deal to Lomu in his comeback test.

THE TEAMS


ALL BLACKS: Ben Blair, Doug Howlett, Tana Umaga, Keith Lowen, Jonah Lomu, Carlos Spencer, Steve Devine, Sam Broomhall, Marty Holah, Taine Randell (capt), Ali Williams, Keith Robinson, Kees Meeuws, Andrew Hore, Joe McDonnell. Reserves: Keven Mealamu, Carl Hayman, Bradley Mika, Rodney So'oialo, Danny Lee, Andrew Mehrtens, Mark Robinson.

ENGLAND: Jason Robinson, James Simpson-Daniel, Mike Tindall, Will Greenwood, Ben Cohen, Jonny Wilkinson, Matt Dawson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Richard Hill, Lewis Moody, Danny Grewcock, Martin Johnson (capt), Phil Vickery, Steve Thompson, Trevor Woodman. Reserves: Mark Regan, Jason Leonard, Ben Kay, Neil Back, Austin Healey or Andy Gomersall, Ben Johnston, Tim Stimpson.