THE All Blacks leave New Zealand Thursday for the Rugby World Cup in Britain injury-free and in form after a tense final work out. The squad was put through sprint work and a robust game of touch and although several players left early, medical staff said there were no significant problems. Flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens, whose well-being on the field is vital for the All Blacks, was the most relieved. After the Super 12 final this year, there was concern about whether his groin injury would best recover with rest or surgery.
Team management chose rest, and Mehrtens withdrew from play for several weeks, before returning for the French Test in June and playing in every international since, kicking 87 points in the season and bringing his Test tally to 515, second only to Grant Fox in the list of All Black point scorers. “The injury is probably something which is always going to flare up but we have consulted the right people and they say it is not going to get any worse,” Mehrtens said.