Has Mehrtens done enough to regain All Black no 10 spot ?
by Huw Turner
May 13, 2001

As thoughts turn towards All Black selection, one of the areas of controversy during this Super 12 season has been the form and fitness of the Crusaders' Andrew Mehrtens.

The 48 times-capped first five, regarded by many as the world's best , has struggled in 2001 after being replaced by Carlos Spencer during last November's tour to France and Italy.

Clearly struggling with his fitness, he has been in and out of the Crusaders' squad , coach Robbie Deans eventually relegating the 28 year old to club football in Christchurch in a bid to solve the mystery of Mehrtens' missing form.

Having done enough to convince Deans that the spell in a lower grade of rugby had done the trick, Mehrtens was named in the starting XV for Saturday evening's round 12 clash against the Highlanders in Dunedin.

And the verdict ? After a shaky start, Vula Maimuri scored a try after 14 seconds as Mehrtens' attempted clearance of Tony Brown's kick off was charged down,he settled down to play an influential role in the Crusaders'second half recovery. It wasn't quite enough for the defending champions to avoid another defeat in a disappointing season, but Mehrtens' ability to control a game with the quality of his tactical control was again in evidence.

On this showing , it would be a major surprise if Wayne Smith does not name Mehrtens in his 30 man training squad preparing for the three test series the All Blacks face in June : against Manu Samoa, Argentina and France.

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