Andy Ellis

Andy Ellis’s promise was obvious from the time he was in the New Zealand colts side in 2005, he was quickly promoted ahead of the well performed Jamie Nutbrown, as Canterbury’s first choice halfback.

After just two provincial seasons with Canterbury in 2005-06, and one in the Super 14 with the Crusaders in 2006, Ellis was brought into the All Blacks for the first time on the end-of-season tour. At provincial and Super rugby level Ellis has always been an effective performer, even if with the Crusaders especially he has shared the halfback position with two others of international standard in Kevin Senio (briefly in the All Blacks in 2005) and Manu Samoa’s Kahn Fotuali’i.

In his six year stint in the All Blacks, between 2006 and 2011, Ellis impressed with his all-round efficiency and consistent work-rate and an ability to take the right options. The only criticism which appears to have been directed at him has been a rather strange one: a perception that he has been overly advantaged by always playing, either with Canterbury, Crusaders or the All Blacks, behind well drilled packs.

Ellis has been at two World Cups, in 2007 and 2011, and if he only received one start at the 2011 triumph he made many meaningful contributions from the reserves bench. He will be forever remembered for the minor, but symbolic, act of sending his team-mates and the country into euphoric relief by kicking the last penalty into touch to give the All Blacks their 8-7 final win over France.

Injuries and the intense competition for the halfback spot from Jimmy Cowan, Piri Weepu, and Brendon Leonard have limited Elliis’s international opportunities and he has seldom, if ever, been the All Blacks’ first choice. Of his 26 tests to the end of the 2011 season 16 were appearances from the bench.

In 2012, despite showing some of the best form of his career with the Crusaders and then Canterbury, as that province achieved its fifth consecutive national title, Ellis was overlooked for the All Blacks. He appeared to have suffered from a need by the national selectors to look towards the 2015 World Cup as younger halfbacks like Aaron Smith and Tawera Kerr-Barlow were introduced.