Probables come from behind to win trial match

10.00pm - By WYNNE GRAY

PROBABLES 29 POSSIBLES 27

If All Black coach Graham Henry planned on a reasonable night's sleep tonight he should revise his thoughts.

His shadow test side, listed in the programme as the Probables, needed a late Daniel Carter penalty to eke out a narrow 29 victory to 27 and save them from an embarassing defeat.

It is unlikely Henry and selectors Steve Hansen, Wayne Smith and Sir Brian Lochore would have drastically altered the list of 26 names they will take to the first test against England in Dunedin next week.

But they may have been jolted so much by the Possibles performance that they will change their ideas about the best XV to start the test.

They need more meat, power and cohesion than the Probables' tight five delivered tonight. The selectors will buy more time to determine their test choices because Wednesday's announcement will only be a squad list.

The last time the All Black selectors held a national trial, was six years ago at Albany. England were in the country and the then coaches, Sir Clive Woodward and John Mitchell, made a special detour to watch their opponents' form.

The concept was revisited tonight, but there were changes.

The game had been shifted across the Harbour Bridge to Eden Park while England were still on the other side of the world preparing for their journey to twin tests here.

In the first minute of the 1998 trial, Tana Umaga scored an intercept try as the Barbarians, aka the shadow test side, romped away from New Zealand A 55-14.

Tonight, the new All Black captain could have been sinbinned in the opening minute as his professional foul stopped the Possibles scoring after their forwards embarassed the Probables defence.

By halftime Umaga's side was trailing 17-14 in a match which could best be described as scrappy, and by fulltime had edged home by just two points.

There was little for the national selectors to enthuse about if their primary interest was in the performances of the two packs, those men who will be charged in 10 days with confronting the might of England's cutting edge.

Both hookers, Keven Mealamu and Andrew Hore, had trouble connecting with their lineout targets, and the scrums were often reset by referee Paddy O'Brien.

There seemed to be greater problems for the Probables with their scrum cohesion, while some sloppy early clearances from Justin Marshall exacerbated the issue.

The opening 40 minutes were more an advertisement for not having trials. The small crowd was unsure which team to barrack for, and the mistake rate was far too high for any flow to the match.

Finding standout players in the first half was difficult, but Sitiveni Sivivatu, Nick Evans, Craig Newby and Jono Gibbes were prominent for the Possibles, and Jerry Collins, Greg Somerville, Carlos Spencer and Mils Muliaina were steady.

Evans was composed, astute, pacy and gifted with his goalkicking from fullback. He continued that smart play when he shifted to first five-eighths to replace Aaron Mauger.

Probables 29: Tries: Jerry Collins, Mils Muliaina, Andrew Hore, Joe Rokocoko. Con: Daniel Carter (4)

Possibles 27: Tries: Caleb Ralph, Xavier Rush (2). Con: Nick Evans (3). Pen: Evans (2)

Teams:

Probables: Mils Muliaina, Doug Howlett, Tana Umaga (captain), Daniel Carter, Joe Rokocoko, Carlos Spencer, Justin Marshall, Mose Tuiali'i, Marty Holah, Jerry Collins/Reuben Thorne, Keith Robinson, Brad Thorn, Greg Somerville, Andrew Hore, Deacon Manu. Reserves: Hosea Gear, Andrew Mehrtens, Luke McAlister, Jimmy Cowan, Angus MacDonald, Tony Woodcock, Derren Witcombe.

Possibles: Nick Evans, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Ben Atiga, Sam Tuitupou, Caleb Ralph, Aaron Mauger, Byron Kelleher, Xavier Rush, Josh Blackie, Craig Newby, Simon Maling, Jono Gibbes (captain), Carl Hayman, Keven Mealamu, Kees Meeuws. Reserves: Brent Ward, Tane Tuipulotu, Isaac Boss, Sione Lauaki, Ali Williams, Carl Hoeft, Corey Flynn.

Referee: Paddy O'Brien

* See Graham Henry's first All Black squad on nzherald.co.nz 10am Wednesday