Chance for Ellis to push All Blacks claims

Andy Ellis

It's mind games time for Canterbury rugby halfback Andy Ellis.

Ellis was pushing for a place in the All Blacks squad this year but the Crusaders star had the misfortune of injuring a knee in a semifinal of the Super 14.

When the All Blacks squad was later named, coach Graham Henry singled out Ellis, saying he would have been in the squad had he been fit.

Ellis, who plays for Canterbury against Waikato tomorrow night in an Air New Zealand Cup match, said the injury was a bitter blow.

"Missing the Super 14 final the week after and hearing that I would have been in the larger (All Blacks) squad, it was pretty disappointing, pretty hard," Ellis told NZPA after training in Christchurch yesterday.

Ellis, 22, had about two months on the sidelines and recently returned to action on the field.

He was called to train with the All Blacks as cover for injured halfbacks Piru Weepu and Jimmy Cowan while they were in Christchurch this week.

But tomorrow night's game will be Canterbury's first real test of the season and Ellis is aware the All Blacks selectors will be scrutinising his game.

That is something Ellis is trying to put out of his mind.

"I think it's an important game for Canterbury," he said, initially avoiding the question of making the All Blacks.

"It's sort of our first big challenge so far and this is the game we have been building to.

"As far as I'm concerned I'll be just trying to do as well as I can for Canterbury. At the moment I'm not too worried about (a spot with) the All Blacks."

He said his focus was to concentrate on doing the small things right and letting the rest take care of itself.

"I would love to put the black jersey on and, sure, that's one of main goals for this year.

"But at the moment I just have to concentrate on the smallers things ... and hopefully good things will follow from that."

Ellis injured a medial ligament. He described it "as the best" injury he could have had when it came to the knee as it did not require surgery.

He said he was running freely and the missed All Blacks opportunity had provided added incentive to come back better.

"It gave me a bit of grunt to do well and work a bit harder. I have played two or three games now and I haven't had any problems with it."

Another on the comeback from injury for Canterbury is Casey Laulala. He broke his nose and an eye socket in a pre-season game against Wellington last month.

Laulala was given clearance on Tuesday by his specialist to resume playing in tomorrow night's match.

Laulala's return was probably a week earlier than coach Rob Penney had anticipated but Laulala said he was wary a premature return would involve its risks.

"I told myself I'm not going to rush myself into it," Laulala said.

"It was better to take a couple of weeks off rather than have two or three months off."

Laulala did not require an operation for the fractured eye socket. He was told the main concern with such an injury was developing double vision but he said he had little of that.

"It didn't come up too bad, so they were quite happy," he said.

"The vision was the major thing. People always play with a broken nose."

- NZPA