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Mehrtens features in Henry's hand

New All Black coach Graham Henry on Monday showed his hand, when he named the two All Blacks trial teams that will have try-outs next week, and it had a strong Andrew Mehrtens look about it. The Probables will play the Possibles at Auckland's Eden Park on Tuesday, June 1.

The Probables will be coached by the All Blacks coaching staff, with Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper and Chiefs coach Ian Foster coaching the Possibles.

The first All Blacks squad, to face England in the first of two Tests at Carisbrook in Dunedin on June 12, will be announced the day after the trials.

But the biggest surprises in the two teams were the names of veteran Crusaders and All Black fly-half Andrew Mehrtens and his suspended team-mate, No.8 Mose Tuiali'i.

Mehrtens played the last of his 66 Tests against Wales in Cardiff in November 2002, but injuries and poor form kept him on the sidelines for most of 2003 and he promptly missed out on World Cup selection.

This year did not start that great for him either - he failed to secure a place in the Crusaders team, with coach Robbie Deans preferring unheralded Cameron McIntyre instead.

But in the Super 12 Final, against the Brumbies in Canberra at the weekend, it all went pear-shaped for the Crusaders.

After just 23 minutes Deans decided to admit the folly of his decision to start with McIntyre and brought Mehrtens on. The Brumbies were leading 33-0 at that stage and for the next 60 minutes Mehrtens exacted his influence on the game as the Crusaders outscored the Brumbies by 38 points to 14.

The Brumbies still won the Final 47-38, on the back of that 33-point head start, but Mehrtens' influence was enormous and Henry had no choice but to acknowledge his value by naming him on the bench for the Probables.

Mehrtens' 932 points in Tests are the most for the All Blacks and the third highest in the world.

His 199 points against Australia are the most by any player against any country. His 193 points against South Africa are the second most by any player against any country.

Former Wallaby great Michael Lynagh is the only other player to have twice exceeded 120 points against a country.

He was fastest player in the world to reach 100, 200, 600, 700, 800 and 900 points in Test matches. If it had not been for some 'bit' Test matches, he would have been fastest to each century in between.

Tuiali'i, who will start for the Probables next Tuesday, has had an outstanding Super 12 season for the Crusaders this year at No.8, after being loaned from Auckland. He has beaten off the challenge of Blues captain Xavier Rush, who also finds himself back in the selection frame after nearly six years on the international sidelines.

The only black mark against him was his three-week suspension for head-butting against the Stormers in Week 11 of the Super 12.

Other interesting selections sees 2003 World Cup captain Rueben Thorne bracketed behind Jerry Collins on the blindside flank.

In the Probables team, the selections of Deacon Manu at loosehead prop, Andrew Hore at hooker and Keith Robinson at lock (alongside Chris Jack) will also raise a few eyebrows.

The rest of the team has a familiar look to the one that bombed out of the World Cup.

Interestingly in the Possibles side, Kees Meeuws is on his less preferred side of the front row at loosehead.

Several players were not considered due to injury. They are flank Daniel Braid, scrum-half Steve Devine and utility back Rico Gear (all Blues), Crusaders hooker Mark Hammett, Highlanders wing Hayden Pedersen, Chiefs midfielder Keith Lowen and Chiefs hooker Tom Willis.

The trial teams:

Probables: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Tana Umaga (captain), 12 Daniel Carter, 11 Joe Rokocoko, 10 Carlos Spencer, 9 Justin Marshall, 8 Mose Tuiali'i, 7 Richard McCaw/Marty Holah, 6 Jerry Collins/Reuben Thorne, 5 Keith Robinson, 4 Chris Jack, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Deacon Manu.
Replacements: 16 Derren Witcombe, 17 Tony Woodcock, 18 Brad Thorn, 19 Angus MacDonald, 20 Jimmy Cowan, 21 Luke McAlister, 22 Andrew Mehrtens, 23 Hosea Gear.

Possibles: 15 Nick Evans, 14 Caleb Ralph, 13 Ben Atiga, 12 Sam Tuitupou, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Aaron Mauger, 9 Byron Kelleher, 8 Xavier Rush, 7 Josh Blackie, 6 Craig Newby, 5 Simon Maling, 4 Jono Gibbes (captain), 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Kees Meeuws.
Replacements: 16 Corey Flynn, 17 Carl Hoeft, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Sione Lauaki, 20 Isaac Boss, 21 Tane Tu'ipulotu, 22 Brent Ward.

Kick-off: 19.35 (07.35 GMT)


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