The hour of the final test

Justin Marshall

For a while, All Black coach Graham Henry tried to make the room believe there was no room for sentiment in his selection for tomorrow's final test.

As an example he spoke about Andrew Mehrtens as past tense and not the future. The first five-eighths was not going to figure, even with the injury toll.

But then he flicked onto Justin Marshall, the second highest capped All Black behind the record-holding Sean Fitzpatrick.

Henry labelled his halfback choice between Marshall and Byron Kelleher as the toughest decision he and his selectors faced for the Eden Park conclusion to the Lions tour.

New Zealand rugby was about to farewell one of its most famous players and Henry was wrestling with the romanticism of the moment. How best to deal with the departure? Oh the burden of sentiment.

"Justin will play," Henry explained to the room full of media.

"He will finish the test match, which we think is very important.

"He has been a great player, one of the leading All Blacks of the last decade so we are trying to achieve two objectives really."

The All Blacks needed to continue their high standards in the test and they needed to give Marshall an appropriate goodbye.

Henry suggested the media should canvass Marshall on a variety of issues; it was not his place to second-guess the experienced halfback.

It seemed like a sensible plan, especially as the entire All Black squad was available yesterday for interviews after training at Trusts Stadium at Waitakere.

A chance for a few thoughts from the 80-test veteran before he leaves for a two-year contract with the Leeds rugby club in England.

As the players finally milled around for their radio, TV and print discussions after a half-an-hour delay, there was no sign of Marshall. No appearance for the promised all-players arrangement. It was time for an inquiry.

Back came the official response. Marshall had decided he wouldn't be doing any interviews and the management had acceded to that request.

Shame, especially as Marshall will be schmoozing up to the media next week when he starts his nationwide tour promoting the launch of his book.

No doubt Marshall will have some reason for his non-appearance.

It would go something like not wanting to divert attention away from those All Blacks who were playing, or not wanting his personal situation to overshadow the team approach.

It is not the first time Marshall has snubbed the media but it was a pity that he could not spare a little time - as the rest of the playing XV and reserves did - to run through a few good times, bad times and the future.

Often the media may not be on the same wavelength as the players but Marshall is one of the rare players to have an opinion and to voice it.

Marshall has been a massive part of New Zealand rugby since made his first-class debut for Southland against Canterbury in 1992.

It is history how Canterbury coach Vance Stewart persuaded Marshall to join his province and paid for an operation to cure an ongoing pelvic problem. The payback has been enormous.

Marshall has played 75 games for his province, more than 100 Super 12 matches for the Crusaders, while a run tomorrow will be his 81st international.

His first came in 1995 on the tour of Italy and France. He and Stu Forster were the two halfbacks chosen instead of Graeme Bachop and Ant Strachan, who had taken Japanese contracts after the World Cup.

After a poor first test when the All Blacks lost at Toulouse and manager Colin Meads gave the side a serious bollocking, Marshall was chosen for his debut in the final test in Paris.

It was also coach Laurie Mains' swansong and the side responded with a tremendous 37-12 victory.

A few from that squad are still playing. Jonah Lomu and Ian Jones turned out at Twickenham last month, Andrew Mehrtens, Taine Randell, Craig Dowd and Carlos Spencer are playing in Britain while Alama Ieremia has been operating in Japan.

But Marshall is the only one still playing tests and does not discount making a final bid for the All Blacks at the sixth World Cup when his contract with Leeds expires in May 2007.

As an energetic, rugged halfback, Marshall was an integral part of the All Blacks' first series win in South Africa in 1996.

The following season Marshall was promoted to captain for the tour of Britain due to Sean Fitzpatrick's continuing knee problems.

His reign was short, three wins and a draw, before he was replaced in 1998 by Taine Randell.

Coach John Hart was not over-enthused by his leadership of the All Blacks but the change was made after Marshall had torn his Achilles tendon in that year's Super 12.

There were further mishaps under Hart, such as his unusual rejection for the 1999 Rugby World Cup semifinal defeat against France.

There was a similar RWC semifinal disappointment in 2003 when Marshall retired with sore ribs after a hit from George Smith.

Marshall was reinstated in 2000 by new supremo Wayne Smith, who even went to some lengths to defend the speed of Marshall's pass.

Throughout Marshall's career, the speed and parabolic content of his delivery were regular discussion points for his critics and defenders.

There were the dummy spits when he was subbed in a test at Carisbrook by Hart and left out of the All Black tour to Britain last year.

They were signs though of the monstrous sporting fire which consumed Marshall.

He trained to play, he never liked being rested.

Marshall had the sort of competitive streak which made Fitzpatrick and Zinzan Brooke such feared rugby players. Anything less than playing and beating the Lions tomorrow will mean a disgruntled exit for Marshall.