ANTON OLIVER was left devastated by the “mugging” that shattered New Zealand’s 1999 World Cup but insists the grieving process ended long ago.

FRANCE may grumble at the inconvenience of playing their World Cup quarter-final in Cardiff, but for Fabien Pelous it is a blessing to face New Zealand overseas.

BYRON Terence Kelleher; reverse a couple of letters in the first name and Brian Terence Kelleher could be half-back on any football team still standing in the Cork football championship this weekend.

A MAJOR talking point in the lead-up to the All Black’s game against Portugal on Saturday has been the physical disparity between the teams.

New Zealand may be heavy favourites to win the World Cup, but they are taking all the pressure in their stride ahead of their opening Pool C game against Italy in Marseille tomorrow.

THERE were a few surprises in the All Black side announced to face Italy in their opening game of the Rugby World Cup in Marseille on Saturday.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry will keep faith with the bulk of his Tri-Nations winning-squad when the World Cup favourites pursue glory in France this autumn.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry insists the changes he has made for Saturday’s crunch Tri-Nations clash with Australia will benefit the team in the World Cup.

AUSTRALIA have recalled full-back Chris Latham for the Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup showdown against the All Blacks in Auckland on Saturday.

New Zealand 61 France 10

Nick Evans has replaced fly-half Dan Carter in the New Zealand starting line-up for the second Test against France in Wellington on Saturday.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry has made six changes to his starting line-up for the second Test against France in Wellington on Saturday.

FORMER All Black selector Peter Thorburn claims no team can halt New Zealand’s march to World Cup glory and has rubbished their reputation as ‘chokers’.

Uncapped duo Brendon Leonard and John Schwalger have been called up to the New Zealand squad for the Tests against France, Canada and the upcoming Tri-Nations tournament.

ADAM JONES returns to the Wales side for today’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Scotland after spending the last three months rebuilding his shattered confidence.

Gareth Jenkins challenged Wales to turn New Zealand’s fears into reality tomorrow and end a 53-year hunt for victory over the All Blacks.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry has tried to play down the racism allegations made by All Blacks centre Aaron Mauger about the Twickenham crowd, claiming they have been "blown out of all proportion".

THE Rugby Football Union last night emphatically rejected claims made by All Blacks centre Aaron Mauger that New Zealand players suffered racist abuse from spectators during last season’s Twickenham clash against England.

NEW ZEALAND boss Graham Henry claims the Twickenham factor makes a mockery of suggestions that stricken England will be crushed by the All Blacks on Sunday.

NEW ZEALAND coach Graham Henry has made eight changes from the All Blacks side which beat Australia for the Tri-Nations game against South Africa in Wellington.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry has made eight changes from the All Blacks side that beat Australia in the starting 15 for the Tri-Nations game against South Africa in Wellington.

There were few surprises in the New Zealand squad named to face Australia in Christchurch on Saturday.

Ireland have a worry over full-back Geordan Murphy ahead of Saturday’s second Test against New Zealand in Auckland.

South African-born Greg Rawlinson will make his debut for the All Blacks along with Clarke Dermody against Ireland at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton on Saturday.

South African-born lock Greg Rawlinson has been called into the New Zealand squad ahead of their Tests against Ireland and Argentina.

ANDY ROBINSON has rejected allegations that England launched a spying mission on New Zealand in the build-up to Saturday's clash at Twickenham.

New Zealand head coach Graham Henry has named Sitiveni Sivivatu and Doug Howlett on the wings for Saturday’s highly-anticipated clash with England at Twickenham.

A WET field at the bottom of a lane in Donegal seemed an unlikely spot to find a half-dozen All Blacks during the week. Michael Moynihan reports.

New Zealand 31 South Africa 27

New Zealand coach Graham Henry has resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes for the third and final Test against the British and Irish Lions at Eden Park on Saturday even though the series is already wrapped up.

Leon MacDonald has been recalled by the All Blacks for the first Test against the British and Irish Lions on Saturday.

Otago 19 Lions 30

The Lions arrived at New Zealand rugby’s infamous “House of Pain” today, knowing history was against them emerging unscathed.

ALL BLACKS hooker Anton Oliver is out of contention for the first test against the Lions. He has failed to recover from his calf injury and will not play in Christchurch next Saturday.

Scottish hooker Gordon Bulloch will lead the Lions when they tackle Otago in Dunedin on Saturday.

IAN McGEECHAN has insisted Lions flanker Lewis Moody will be available for selection against Otago on Saturday.

Nick Evans will bounce back from the disappointment of missing out on All Blacks selection by making his debut for Otago against the British and Irish Lions on Saturday.

Poor form has cost Joe Rokocoko his place in the All Blacks squad to face the British and Irish Lions.

WINGER Sitivei Sivivatu, hooker Derren Witcombe and lock James Ryan will make their test debuts for New Zealand against Fiji on Friday after the trio were confirmed as starters in a new-look All Blacks side.

NEW ZEALAND coach Graham Henry had one eye on the future when he named the two teams for the All Blacks trial next month.

DLSP’s Mark Kavanagh has been hit with a whopping ten-year rugby ban by the IRFU’s Leinster branch after an incident in Palmerstown’s Metropolitan Cup clash with Monkstown last week.

The worst kept secret in New Zealand rugby was finally laid to rest when Carlos Spencer confirmed his move to Northampton Saints.