All Blacks: Taine back in the game

Taine Randell and Jeff Wilson are back together as World Cup panelists. Photo / NZ Herald

He was dropped from one squad, but former All Black captain Taine Randell will be going to the Rugby World Cup after being thrown a TV commentary lifeline.

In 1999, he led the New Zealand team out on to the playing fields at the World Cup.

This year, he will commentate about eight matches and appear as a panelist with former teammate Jeff Wilson.

Randell said he had put the disappointment of being dropped by TV3 behind him, and was looking forward to linking up with Wilson, Martin Devlin, Andrew Saville and Simon Dallow at TVNZ.

"It's worked out fantastically," he said.

He was dumped last month by TV3 after being involved in talks for several months.

He said he had been unable to work out a deal with TV3 that allowed him to also carry out his commentating duties with South African broadcaster SuperSport.

"That was the real bastard about the other thing," he said.

"I wasn't that bothered. It was just the manner in which they mucked me around."

At the time, TV3 said it first spoke to Randell in February but after hearing no further response, decided to proceed without him.

Randell has worked as a commentator for BSkyB in Britain and appeared on Reunion on Sky Sport.

He played the last of his 51 tests in 2001.

But he still plays club rugby in Hawke's Bay - and he joked that he was available for the All Blacks should they require his services.