Matt welcomes his rich pickings

As many as 24 current and former All Blacks will miss the All Black trials in Napier on June 3.

The selection team, headed by coach Graham Henry, has consistently stated they will not include players involved in the Super 12 final, and those in the Maori squad will be excused as they play Fiji in Suva on the same night as the trial.

The trial teams and 24-man Maori squad will be named tomorrow and a clearer picture of the absentees has emerged with the Crusaders' win through to Saturday's final.

The list of those missing from the trial includes Dan Carter, Corey Flynn, Chris Jack, Casey Laulala, Justin Marshall, Richie McCaw, Aaron Mauger, Norm Maxwell, Andrew Mehrtens, Caleb Ralph, Greg Somerville, Reuben Thorne and Mose Tuiali'i.

And Daniel Braid, Hosea Gear, Rico Gear, Jono Gibbes, Carl Hayman, Carl Hoeft, Marty Holah, Luke McAlister, Leon MacDonald, Kristian Ormsby, Shannon Paku, Carlos Spencer, Paul Tito, Scott Waldrom, Thomas Waldrom and Piri Weepu are candidates for the Maori side.

Henry might also choose to rest players who are showing signs of fatigue after an arduous Super 12 campaign, with the All Blacks coach hinting yesterday Rodney So'oialo might be missing from the trial.

As far as Maori coach Matt Te Pou is concerned, he will be like a kid in a candy shop given that he has first dibs on All Blacks for the game against Fiji and the match-up against the Lions the following week.

That squad will be led by Chiefs skipper Jono Gibbes, and Te Pou is also expected to plump for Holah and Braid in an old-fashioned left and right flanker system often utilised by the Wallabies when Phil Waugh and George Smith play.

Holah in particular is itching to be involved and it will give him a great chance to prove he's still the second-best openside in the country.

"If I'm involved in the Maori side I will miss the trial and the opportunity to go head to head with an opponent but playing for the Maori against the Lions is not a bad way of putting your hand up," he said.

Earlier in the Super 12, Holah came under pressure from Josh Blackie but he returned to something close to his best in the last few weeks to claim the inside running to be Richie McCaw's backup.

It will not have escaped the attentions of Graham Henry and Co, who are likely to put more emphasis on recent form when they announce the Maori squad tomorrow.

It would be the first time Holah has played for Te Pou's side. In the past he's had to forgo the Maori as it clashed with All Black duties.

But with the national selectors indicating the Maori side has first dibs on the All Blacks, he will get the chance to don the Maori jersey.

"I've always wanted to play for the Maori and always thought it would be a pretty neat experience but the way it's been structured, it's either been the All Blacks or the Maori," said the 32-test veteran who qualifies for the Maori through his maternal great grandfather.

"Obviously I'm keen to play for the All Blacks, so it hasn't really been an option," he said. "If I was to make the Maori team, I would be pretty honoured."

Te Pou indicated he had settled on his squad earlier last week, barring injuries to Crusaders players involved in the Super 12 final, and that he would likely rest a handful for the game against Fiji on June 3.

"We want to win both games but there will definitely be a couple of players who will be on the sidelines against Fiji who will come in against the Lions," Te Pou said.

The squad will gather in Hamilton next Sunday after the final.

While Holah is chomping at the bit to debut for the Maori, he's equally excited about being a part of the side's fabled team culture.

"I'm not sure if the boys will appreciate my singing, though."

But as Te Pou explained, "the guys who play extremely well are allowed to sing a little off-note half the time".

- HERALD ON SUNDAY