Prime candidates could be the inclusion of flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens, who has been out of favour with the selectors and did not make the World Cup last year, and the exclusion of fullback Ben Blair who did make the World Cup side.

All Blacks coach Graham Henry said on Sunday that while he preferred to reflect on the team's courageous fightback, a couple of Crusaders "self-destructed" as the Brumbies opened up a 33-0 lead in the opening 20 minutes.

While the Brumbies 47-38 win would not have a major impact on the 44 All Blacks triallists to be announced Monday, Henry conceded "there might be a minor influence there".

He would not say if the influence was the 60-minute performance of Mehrtens, who has barely played this season, leaving the selectors with little choice but to omit him from the trial in Auckland on June 1st.

After Mehrtens came on the field against the Brumbies it changed the course of the game as the Crusaders scored 38 points to 14. It appears some Crusaders did their national selection prospects no good whatsoever. "A couple of guys self-destructed a wee bit in the Crusaders side and that gave away points, which was disappointing," Henry said.

Although he did not name names, All Blacks fullback Ben Blair had a nightmarish game on defence.

AFP - 2004.