Concern at centre as Henderson opts out

NEWS ROUND-UP: Munster centre Rob Henderson became the 10th player to become unavailable for Ireland's tour to New Zealand - they depart on Saturday - when he was forced to withdraw following a shin injury sustained in the run-up to or during last Saturday's Heineken Cup final defeat by Leicester.

Henderson joins Jonathan Bell, Kevin Maggs, Shane Horgan, Denis Hickie, Anthony Horgan, Simon Best, Emmet Byrne, Jeremy Davidson and Kieron Dawson all of whom can not make the trip because of injury.

The Young Munster player gives coach Eddie O'Sullivan a real headache as he is the fourth inside centre - along with Maggs, Shane Horgan and Bell - to bow out making it a serious area of concern.

The obvious contenders are Munster duo Jason Holland and Mike Mullins with Holland, by virtue of the fact that he plays at inside centre, probably marginally ahead in the reckoning. Further compounding the selection is the fact that the Midleton player is due to get married in New Zealand shortly while Mullins is due to return there on a family holiday.

The Ireland team had a light training session in Greystones yesterday and will stay together until they depart for New Zealand on Saturday.

Meanwhile, New Zealand will have their fourth captain in as many seasons with the naming yesterday of Crusaders' skipper Reuben Thorne to lead the 2002 selection.

Thorne's elevation is no surprise as he has enjoyed a stellar year with the Crusaders who marched through this year's Super 12 campaign unbeaten.

He assumes the role with last winter's captain Anton Oliver injured. Oliver in turn replaced Todd Blackadder who led the side in 2000 having himself taken over from Taine Randell.

Randell is back in the side after being omitted from last year's end-of-season tour to Britain and Argentina. He is joined in the 26-man squad, named for the first four Tests in 2002, by another to have missed that tour, Christian Cullen.

All Black coach John Mitchell said: "Super 12 is a good indicator of a player's form and ability. But a shift in mentality is required to play Test rugby. We are now a new team and there will need to be changes in the way players think and approach their task."

Despite some talk that Cullen and Jonah Lomu may be missing from the squad both have been selected and Mitchell said it had not been an option to leave them out. "They would be the first to acknowledge they had a poor Super 12 by their own standards. But both have the mentality to play Test rugby and they've been successful in the past. I'm looking forward to working with them and bringing them back up to the level required, said Mitchell."

There is just one surprise in the 26 with the naming of Highlanders loosehead prop Joe McDonnell.

ALL BLACK SQUAD: L MacDonald (Canterbury), C Cullen (Wellington), D Howlett (Auckland), T Umaga (Wellington), C Ralph (Canterbury), M Robinson (Canterbury), D Gibson (Canterbury), A Mauger (Canterbury), J Lomu (Wellington), A Mehrtens (Canterbury), J Marshall (Canterbury), B Kelleher (Otago), S Robertson (Canterbury), T Randell (Otago), M Holah (Waikato), R McCaw (Canterbury), R Thorne (Canterbury, capt), N Maxwell (Canterbury), C Jack (Canterbury), S Maling (Otago), G Somerville (Canterbury), K Meeuws (Auckland), D Hewett (Canterbury), J McDonnell (Otago), T Willis (Otago), M Hammett (Canterbury).