All Blacks axe skipper Oliver for Tri–Nations

JOHN MITCHELL has dropped captain Anton Oliver from the All Black side to contest the annual Tri-Nations Series with Australia and South Africa.

Oliver, the hooker, and captain for 10 tests in 2001, has joined loose forward and former captain Taine Randell in failing to win favour with coach Mitchell and his fellow selectors Kieran Crowley and Mark Shaw.

It would appear that Oliver has suffered as a result of lineout throwing problems that have plagued his career, and it had been noticeable in matches this year that his round-the-field play was not as dynamic as it had been before an achilles injury which ruled him out of the game last season.

That was borne out on the occasions when Keven Mealamu was substituted so effectively for Oliver in those matches.

Surprisingly, flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens, New Zealand’s greatest points scorer in Tests, has not been recalled despite having resumed rugby with Canterbury.

Coming into the team are two Cantabrians, full-back Ben Blair, who has recovered from a shoulder injury suffered in France last year, and hooker Mark Hammett.

Blair’s selection effectively spells the end of Munster signing Christian Cullen’s All Black career. Cullen said during the week that barring exceptional injury problems it seemed he has played his last game for the side.

The selectors have said that preferred full-back Leon MacDonald has been given time to rehabilitate after his latest head injury, suggesting that he is still being considered as a potential number 15 at the World Cup later this year.

He will train with the side in Palmerston North week before the squad departs for South Africa on Friday.

Mitchell commented: “Ben has been progressing nicely and we feel that the time is right to reintroduce him to the side. Importantly, he brings another goal-kicking option to the table and that is critical to the balance of the squad, as he is replacing another of our goal-kickers in Leon MacDonald.”

Canterbury’s Justin Marshall has been selected again after recovering from the hamstring injury he suffered against England.

New Zealand: M Muliaina (Auckland), B Blair (Canterbury), D Howlett (Auckland), C Ralph (Canterbury), J Rokocoko (Auckland), T Umaga (Wellington, vice captain), M Nonu (Wellington), D Carter (Canterbury), A Mauger (Canterbury), C Spencer (Auckland), J Marshall (Canterbury), S Devine (Auckland), J Collins (Wellington), R So’oialo (Wellington), R McCaw (Canterbury), M Holah (Waikato), R Thorne (Canterbury, captain), B Thorn (Canterbury), A Williams (Auckland), C Jack (Canterbury), K Meeuws (Auckland), G Somerville (Canterbury), M Hammett (Canterbury), K Mealamu (Auckland), D Hewett (Canterbury), C Hoeft (Otago).