Doubts over Astle in State of Origin match

Injuries have overshadowed the State of Origin trial match, to be played on February 8, with a question mark over Nathan Astle's fitness, and Jeff Wilson, the former rugby international, ruled out of contention.

Sir Richard Hadlee, chairman of selectors, named an extended squad for the South Island side, with one player to cover for Astle if he has not fully recovered from the knee injury which kept him out of the recent Pakistan series.

At the end of the game, John Bracewell, the coach, is to name the side for the first one-day international against South Africa, at Auckland on February 13. Rain washed out two recent provincial matches in which Astle was to test his dodgy knee, preventing the medical staff from being able to properly assess his recovery.

Wilson, who retired from rugby two years ago, had been tipped to return to the cricket team he last represented in the early 1990s, but has been plagued by a leg problem in recent weeks and was not considered for the trial.

North Island Ian Butler, Chris Cairns, Kyle Mills, Hamish Marshall, Chris Nevin, Jacob Oram, Scott Styris, Mathew Sinclair, Ross Taylor, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori, Michael Mason.

South Island Nathan Astle, Craig Cumming, Stephen Cunis, Stephen Fleming, Peter Fulton, Chris Harris, Chris Martin, Brendon McCullum, Craig McMillan, Warren McSkimming, Michael Papps, Aaron Redmond, Andrew Schwass.