By AINSLEY THOMSON
Jason Spice and his family were all nerves last night as they waited to hear if the Wellington halfback would join the All Blacks' European tour.
Early yesterday, Spice got a telephone call from All Black coach John Mitchell telling him to prepare to fly to London for this
weekend's test against England.
Mitchell's call was a precaution in case the International Rugby Board turned down a request for a dispensation for Steve Devine over an eligibility dispute.
The decision whether Devine would be ruled out of the All Blacks tour, because he played for Australia in a sevens tournament in 1998, had not been announced early today.
Last night Graeme Spice, Jason's father, said they were sitting with their fingers crossed, waiting to hear the IRB's ruling.
He said he and wife Julie were more nervous than Jason.
"The worst bit is the waiting, the indecision. It must be bad for Steve Devine as well. Because someone will lose out here. That's the horrible part."
Mr Spice said his son, who plays for the Hurricanes and the Wellington NPC team, heard at the weekend that he might join the All Blacks.
It is understood other half-backs were also put on stand-by over the weekend.
It is not the first time 27-year-old Spice has been called into the All Blacks part-way through a tour.
Last year, he was chosen to replace an injured Byron Kelleher during the All Blacks' tour of Argentina. However, he did not play any games so if he makes it on to the field against England, France or Wales, it will be his first cap.
The mix-up over Australian-born Devine blew up at the weekend when it was revealed that his appearance for Australia in a sevens tournament in Dubai in late 1998 meant that he was ineligible for the All Blacks because of an IRB rule introduced in 2000.
