By CHRIS RATTUE
Chiefs wing Sitiveni Sivivatu lodged an appeal with the International Rugby Board this week seeking to become eligible for All Black selection this season.
The Fijian-born and raised player appears set to be among the 44 players in the All Black trial teams to be named on Monday, even
though he will become eligible to play for NZ only in December.
Papers have been sent to the IRB asking it to overturn a ruling a board committee made last year.
All Black coach Graham Henry has indicated that most of the reserves in the June 1 trial will be in the category of future prospects.
Given his eligibility status, Sivivatu appears headed for the reserves, although he is hoping to know the IRB's decision before the trial is played.
New Zealand lacks wing depth below Doug Howlett and Joe Rokocoko.
Should Sivivatu get a favourable IRB decision, his appearance in the trial at Eden Park could take on a much greater significance.
Sivivatu, who turned 22 last month, looks to be a major test prospect after a highly promising second Super 12 season, although he is relatively short on experience, having only just transferred to Waikato from second division Counties-Manukau.
His manager, Laurie Flitten, said they were mainly putting forward the same information as last year to the IRB and hoping for a better result.
Their case is supported by the New Zealand Rugby Union.
In deciding the Sivivatu case last year, the IRB relied on the rule that disregards time spent at school when calculating whether a player has met the three-year residential requirement.
Sivivatu is arguing that 2001, when he attended Wesley College and also made his debut for Counties Manukau, should count.
He came to New Zealand as an 18-year-old in 2000 to board at Wesley.
Flitten said their case to the IRB would include showing that Sivivatu was financially independent of his parents in 2001, when he was at an age when people were considered old enough to make their own decisions.
