Secrets of the boot boys: Andrew Mehrtens

By WYNNE GRAY

ALL BLACK RECORD: 63 tests, 172 pen, 152 con, 10 drop goals, 885 pts

At one rare stage in his career when Andrew Mehrtens was having a rough goalkicking spell, his buddy, golf professional Phil Tataurangi, offered some thoughts.

One observation which made the biggest impression was about his routine.

"There was a huge range in my times taken from placing the ball to kicking it," Mehrtens recalled, "the difference could be up to 15 seconds."

The message for placekickers was the same as golfers. Routine and tempo were the keys to success. Repeat swings of the golf club or goalkicking leg would create a system to cope with pressure and build confidence.

"If anything goes wrong then it is much easier to work out where to fix it," said Mehrtens.

The All Black and Canterbury first five-eighths started kicking goals as a seven-year-old for the Kaiapoi club and has infrequently since then passed the job over to someone else.

Mehrtens started kicking with a leather ball - he found it more responsive than the synthetic versions which came into vogue after the 1987 World Cup.

Over time, his routine has been customised.

Mehrtens places the ball, stands up and places his left foot by the ball as a sighter. He goes straight back for five steps, resets and visualises the line of the kick before taking a couple of steps to the side.

One more reset with a final gaze at the posts to picture the kick and then Mehrtens concentrates on the ball.

"I am trying to feel the kick," he revealed, "then when I move in I want to get over the top of my plant foot which holds my left shoulder so I do not pull or block the kick."

It is a system which has been refined over time, something other kickers like Leon MacDonald and Aaron Mauger are working on. They are, said Mehrtens, natural ballplayers but not natural goalkickers who have had to settle on repeat patterns to increase their success rates.

Mehrtens would take the pressure of goalkicking anytime, it is part of the thrill of the sport and one of the strong reasons for playing.

"A lot of people get the impression there is the most pressure on taking a final kick but that is not the way I approach it," he said. "Whether it is in front early on the 22 or near the final whistle there is always the same feeling of trying to win the game. There is always the same pang of disappointment whenever you miss any kick.

"Most kicking is about confidence and if you get that you have better rhythm and timing. The style and run-up does not matter as long as you get to repeat your action again and again."

Mehrtens' volume of kicking has given him the bank of experience, knowledge and trust in his technique.

"Every single kick is a one-off event and you can go into each kick with the same belief even if you have missed the previous five. You have to be comfortable with your routine and your mind.

"Mental strength is the pattern, you look to that, you have to approach the kick positively as if there is no potential for missing."

That came from a volume of work, sorting out a proven method and a love of the job.

"I love the thrill of it, I love it every time, there is nowhere to hide," said Mehrtens.

The 29-year-old All Black test points recordholder has become used to using a plastic tee, he prefers the Simkin brand which he uses at the lower setting. He leans the ball forward slightly.

He has always kicked with his instep but has used a more curved approach after advice from Grant Fox and Greg Coffey in 1994.

"I am a striker not a sweeper of the ball," he said.

In still conditions, his ball flight has a slight right to left curve, he does not believe he is disadvantaged kicking from the less fancied right side of the field.

He admires the languid style of Wallaby kicker Matthew Burke, appreciates the success percentages of Jonny Wilkinson and Neil Jenkins.

Memories of his own hits and misses are many. Success from his own 10m line at Ellis Park in 1996 remains strong, a miss at Loftus Versfeld three years later in his crowd salute match came after a great strike, his solitary shot in Canterbury's 2000 NPC final loss was spot on.

Practice varies. If Mehrtens feels good after training he might do some kicking.

"You have to feel bouncy about kicking, you have to have the adrenalin going. Ideally you need to do some kicking every week just to give you the conviction."