Twickenham test

All Blacks prepare for massive challenge against England

LONDON (Reuters) -- Playing England at Twickenham will be a huge challenge for the new-look All Blacks team, coach John Mitchell said Saturday.

The New Zealand squad includes 12 new caps for a tough test schedule against England on November 9, followed by games against Six Nations champions France the following week and Wales in Cardiff on November 23.

"The England programme has been going for six years under Clive (Woodward) and has been very successful," Mitchell told a news conference just hours after arriving in London.

"You just have to look at their results -- they have won 15 tests in a row at Twickenham since the All Blacks played them last and the programme is very similar and everyone is very familiar with it."

Mitchell said his squad, which includes more new caps than any New Zealand side team since the 1986 "Baby Blacks" beat France in Christchurch, had been picked on domestic form with one eye on next year's World Cup.

"I think you can pretty much guarantee that (all of the squad would play)," he said.

"We obviously have our eye on the big picture (the 2003 World Cup), but there is also an immediacy there.

"New Zealand don't play England very often so it will be treated as the special occasion it is."

All Blacks vice-captain Tana Umaga said the team were excited about playing England.

"Twickenham is a special place to come and the record that England has over the last couple of years make it all that more challenging," Umaga said.

"We are excited about it and when you've got all the young blood that we have they're all excited about being All Blacks."

All Blacks flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens said the tour was an ideal opportunity for the team to develop a large pool of players with international experience.

"The game has changed and you can't talk about a top 15 any more -- it would be ideal going into 2003 to have 40 odd guys who have worn the jersey and done it proud," he said.

"It would be good for us to have those guys going into 2003 with confidence so that the country can go in there and say we have a large base of All Black hopefuls."

Nervous wait for Devine

Australian-born Devine was a surprise selection for New Zealand's three-match tour of England, France and Wales but the NZRFU has said on its Web site that he may be ineligible because he played for the Australian sevens team in 1998.

Under the International Rugby Board's (IRB) eligibility regulations, Devine can only play for Australia.

"Just arriving (in London) this morning, I am aware of that and have spoken to my CEO," Mitchell said during a news conference at the team's hotel.

"He is currently communicating with the IRB and we should know where we stand within the next 24 hours.

"At this point in time, Steve is still part of the All Blacks party and will continue to be so until we know where we stand.

Mitchell added that Devine's eligibility had been discussed in selection meetings.

'Totally eligible'

"That is part of the process and, as far as we were concerned, he was totally eligible (for the All Blacks)."

Mitchell said the news was just "another challenge."

Devine was not initially selected for the 2003 Auckland Blues Super 12 squad but has since been given a provincial contract following his All Blacks selection.

Former All Blacks halfback Mark Robinson was withdrawn from the Blues squad to make way for Devine.

New Zealand meet England on November 9 before playing France on November 16 and Wales on November 23.

 

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