MEDIA RELEASE
10 July 2000
WAYNE SMITH REGRETS ALL BLACK TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT DELAY
All Black coach Wayne Smith regrets the delay in announcing the All Black team for Saturday's test with Australia.
"I'm really sorry, but it's not my fault," an angry Smith said today.
"We picked the team last week and sent it up to Mallard's office on Friday for he and Clark to have a look at, but then
this Charlie Dempsey thing blew up, and Trevor's been a bit busy ever since."
"Now with Wimbledon and the Mark Todd stuff, I don't know when he's going to be free to give the team the big tick for
Saturday, yet he's still demanding his tickets."
"Worse still, I hear Helen Clark's still fuming over the Adidas balls incident, because apparently she'd assured John
Howard last month that Mehrts would be kicking with them on Saturday, instead of the Gilbert balls, and now we've gone
and changed that too."
"Toddy's upset too because we gather Trev thinks some big lock from Wainui ought to have his job, and wants to talk to
Tony Gilbert and me about that before he approves the team," Smith explained.
Smith said he was hopeful that the team would be finalised before kick-off on Saturday, but it really all depended on
Trevor at this stage.
- All further queries should be referred to the United New Zealand Parliamentary office for response.