Video: Henry puts contenders through their paces
Photos: All black contenders have first hit outKEY POINTS:
Don't be fooled by the lack of official team regalia or the warnings of the coaches, All Blacks careers are being made and broken in West Auckland this week.
Players have been wearing the training kit of their respective Super 14 teams at what Graham Henry was at pains to point out is a camp for a 26-man train-on squad rather than an official All Blacks squad. But, although the ritual handing out of official clobber hasn't yet taken place, the opening and closing of doors on players' careers undoubtedly has.
All Blacks for the inbound tours of Ireland and England and the Tri-nations will come from the group now in camp and the Crusaders, assistant coach Steve Hansen confirmed.
"I would suggest that there probably won't be anybody from outside this group or the game on Sunday [coming in]," he said.
With no Junior All Blacks programme this year, that leaves the likes of notable discards Isaia Toeava, Chris Masoe, Piri Weepu and Jason Eaton in no-man's land.
They and other hopefuls who missed the initial selection cut, such as Chiefs wing Lelia Masaga and Blues halfback Taniela Moa, will have to wait until the national championship starts in August to again press their cases.
But players of Maori extraction have a New Zealand Maori campaign to look forward to.
Henry admitted the situation was less than ideal. "That's the way the programme is. We just have to get on with it."
Players such as Highlanders flanker Adam Thomson and Blues pair Anthony Tuitavake and Rudi Wulf give the train-on squad a fresh look but many of the new call-ups will likely make way for Crusaders when the full squad is named after the Super 14 final.
Hansen didn't believe being cut after coming so close to All Blacks selection would have a negative impact on players given just a taste of the top flight. "Obviously having come to the camp and then hearing the team on Sunday, the guys that miss out will be disappointed. But if they weren't then we have brought the wrong blokes to the camp.
"They do know once they get over that disappointment that there are opportunities coming."
It's debatable as to whether Blues flanker Daniel Braid will be that positive should he find - as is likely - that he is among the culled once Richie McCaw returns from Super 14 final duty. Braid has already signalled his intentions to head overseas if his All Blacks ambitions continue to be frustrated.
Hansen was equivocal about the specialist fetcher's chances of making the cut. "There is a need to have access to two quality sevens, as there always has been. What you've got to ask yourself is, in a 26-man squad, can we afford the luxury of taking two specialists? We'll find out I guess on Sunday."
Masoe seemed to be the unluckiest discard, with Hansen saying the versatile flanker had been a casualty of the new experimental laws, which required a different type of player.
That could see a high value being placed on mobile looseforwards with lineout ability, which might explain the recent interest in the athletic, 1.98m Thomson, whom Henry said "wouldn't have even been mentioned" if the squad had been picked before the Super 14.
Several injured players either sat out training or were limited to light duties but Henry confirmed Hurricanes captain Rodney So'oialo would be fit to face the Irish in Wellington on Saturday week.
Henry tried to draw a line under the controversial non-selection of England-bound Nick Evans.
"We thought as selectors that there were two guys better at fullback than him and two guys playing better at 10 than him."
Evans, who was signed by Auckland last year, has suggested he will look for an early release, meaning he will likely not make a single appearance for the province.
WELCOME BACK
2007 All Blacks in the
wider training squad:
* Mils Muliaina
* Sitiveni Sivivatu
* Conrad Smith
* Ma'a Nonu
* Brendon Leonard
* Rodney So'oialo
* Sione Lauaki
* Neemia Tialata
* Tony Woodcock
* John Schwalger
* Keven Mealamu
* Andrew Hore
THE BLACK LIST 2007
All Blacks absent from
the wider training squad:
Leon MacDonald*
Joe Rokocoko+
Doug Howlett
Isaia Toeava
Aaron Mauger
Luke McAlister
Nick Evans
Daniel Carter*
Piri Weepu
Byron Kelleher
Chris Masoe
Richie McCaw*
Reuben Thorne*
Jerry Collins^
Chris Jack
Keith Robinson!
Troy Flavell
Carl Hayman
Anton Oliver
Greg Rawlinson
Ross Filipo*
Rico Gear
Andrew Ellis*
Ali Williams*
Greg Somerville*
* Current Crusader
+ Injured
! Retired
^ Unavailable
Overseas
