Wynne Gray: Selectors' faith in Weepu curious

Piri Weepu. Photo / Getty Images

Halfbacks Piri Weepu and Jimmy Cowan made their All Black debuts a week apart on the same tour to Europe in late 2004.

They were part of a backs division which carried familiar names such as Mils Muliaina, Joe Rokocoko, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu and Daniel Carter alongside a pack which has undergone serious changes since.

Seven years later Weepu and Cowan are the preferred halfbacks for the June internationals, blokes who have each played more than 30 tests without quite nailing it.

Remember at the assumed career crest for the All Black selectors, they bypassed the same halfbacks for the 2007 World Cup and picked Byron Kelleher, Brendon Leonard and Andy Ellis to tackle the tournament in Europe.

Most of the latest All Black squad became evident for the selection panel of Graham Henry, Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith as they assessed form, experience, injury and defections. Halfback was one area of choice, where there were perhaps six contenders.

The panel sifted through the talents of Alby Mathewson, Brendon Leonard, Weepu, Andy Ellis, Kahn Fotuali'i and Cowan before opting for the most experienced duo.

Cowan has hung tough in a difficult Highlanders scene, he lifts for the national team and is a dogged, relentless competitor. Weepu may be more gifted, he has a long bullet pass and kicks goals. But his indiscipline has countered those talents.

He is not the most assiduous trainer, he can be surly when games do not run his way and as he loses his spirit his game disintegrates. There is always talk he is heading somewhere. Next month may be his Final Frontier.

He may have, as the All Black panel points out, played a lot of games for them and been strong but they also acknowledge his need to get in better trim. He has been on a special fitness programme. It all smells of some leeway for Weepu, another carrot to keep him interested.

All very curious when they have strong alternatives, halfbacks who have worked hard and have made ground under the new laws. Ideas that Weepu is needed as a goalkicker alongside Aaron Cruden seems a flimsy explanation.

The selectors have also given some leeway to lock Tom Donnelly and backup hooker Aled de Malmanche. Fair dues. They have not been around the All Black environment nearly as long.

Donnelly showed he could hack it last season and after injury has been given another shot, with tyro lock Sam Whitelock hounding him hard.

De Malmanche too. He was out for some time this season with a broken thumb and then dinged a shoulder but he brings a physical clout, a robust running game and with an improved lineout throwing ratio is a player for the future.