Mitchell decides to crack the whip

By WYNNE GRAY

Coach John Mitchell insists he will drive a tougher selection policy with the All Blacks this season, starting with a trimmed down squad of 22 for the opening test, against Italy.

"I am a great believer in the smaller the group the more committed they are to the goal," he said yesterday.

Mitchell will announce his initial All Black squad within a day or so of the Super 12 final, and assemble them for a camp in Whangamata before they move to Hamilton for the international against Italy on June 8.

The previous All Black coach, Wayne Smith, picked an initial squad of 30 last season. He wanted the wider group to absorb his coaching ideas and compete against each other at the rugby institute in Palmerston North before the group was culled.

"I will do it differently," Mitchell confirmed yesterday, "so players don't get their expectations too high.

"I will just name 22 because as coaches, I think we have to give direction, we have to make choices."

Mitchell has attended training sessions for all the New Zealand franchises where he has explained his selection plans. He would use 22 players for each domestic test while he might add a couple for the overseas Tri-Nations trip to Australia and South Africa.

Injured players and those who missed the cut could all use club rugby and the NPC to reinstate their case. Each test would be looked at and choices made depending on the strength of that opposition.

"But I won't be carrying any passengers in the squad. I won't be keeping people who are injured in the hope they will be right for the game," Mitchell said.

His selection criteria could be broken down into four categories - attitude, fitness and especially work off the ball, skills and discipline.

"I also look at the way players do things for the team, how selfless they are. Experience will also come into it, but this is a now game. You pick players on form against those who might have hit a plateau."

"I have a particular team profile and how I want the All Blacks to play the game, and I am looking for players who fit that profile. We are assessing a lot of information and those who take shortcuts will be found out big-time."