Sale bonanza for cool-hand Luke

After the formality of World Cup selection yesterday as reward for his part in retaining the Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations trophies, the youngest All Black has announced his imminent arrival in the English Premiership among a constellation of stars from the Southern Hemisphere.

"You get one shot at your career and I want to make the most of it," he said. "I've been to Manchester before and I'm looking forward to going back. I like it there."

After months of negotiation, Sale had finally got their man, a coup acclaimed by the deposed English champions as the most significant of the rugby year. "This is fantastic news for everyone connected with Sale Sharks," said rugby director Philippe Saint-Andre.

"This is exactly the signing I've been trying to make to help us become a dominant force in Europe. We've signed one of the best young players in the world who can play in three positions - 10, 12 and 13."

McAlister could be joined by his father, Charlie. A former Oldham rugby league player who took his family back home when Luke was a teenager, McAlister Snr has been offered a position in the club's academy.

By taking the yellow brick road to England on a 30-month contract, McAlister will be keeping some exalted company, what with Carl Hayman going to Newcastle, Chris Jack to Saracens and Aaron Mauger, the man he has displaced at inside centre, to Leicester.

Two more of the World Cup squad named yesterday will be returning to France after the tournament, Anton Oliver to Toulon and Byron Kelleher to Toulouse.

Within 24 hours of watching his front-line players confirm their status as the world's No.1 team with a 26-12 win over Australia in Auckland, head coach Graham Henry named all but one of his 30 for the only trophy that matters.

Henry, in sober mood as if acutely aware that the Bledisloe and the Tri-Nations will count for nothing should he return from Paris without the Webb Ellis pot of gold, gave the chosen few an almost presidential blessing.

"I congratulate each and every one," he said. "They are talented players who have worked hard to prove themselves over a long period. Now the World Cup is our only focus."

Some had lost theirs before being excluded from the squad with Wellington scrum half Piri Weepu the biggest casualty. He was fined £200 along with five other All Black reserves for breaking a curfew last week.

Weepu had been pushing Kelleher all the way as the leading scrum half until his form began to wobble.

Of the six disciplined for staying out late, only Conrad Smith has made the cut, surfacing as a contender for the problematic outside centre position despite only three minutes' Test action since breaking a leg last year.

Rico Gear, fined along with Troy Flavell, Ross Filipo and John Schwalger, may now be free to join Worcester sooner than planned.

Australia will name their squad today convinced that they have narrowed the gap with their neighbours.

Wallaby coach John Connolly said: "We showed enough to keep impressing on the them that we are so close to getting on top of them. If we meet them at the World Cup, we will definitely not be intimidated."

South Africa's 30, built largely around the players who swamped England by 113 points in Bloemfontein and Pretoria, contains no surprises.

All the threats about government intervention over the selection of no more than six non-white players evaporated. The Springboks head for their showdown against England in Paris on September 14 with head coach Jake White in bullish mood. "We are exactly where we wanted to be," he said.

NEW ZEALAND - Backs: L MacDonald, M Muliaina, D Howlett, J Rokocoko, S Sivivatu, I Toeava, C Smith, L McAlister, A Mauger, D Carter, N Evans, B Kelleher, A Ellis, B Leonard. Forwards: T Woodcock, N Tialata, C Hayman, A N Other, A Hore, K Mealamu, A Oliver, K Robinson, C Jack, A Williams, S Lauaki, R Thorne, J Collins, R McCaw (capt), C Masoe, R So'oialo.

SOUTH AFRICA - Backs: P Montgomery, F Steyn, B Habana, J P Pietersen, A Willemse, A Ndungane, J de Villiers, J Fourie, W Olivier, B James, A Pretorius, F du Preez, R Januarie, R Pienaar. Forwards: O du Randt, G Steenkamp, C J van der Linde, B J Botha, J Smit (capt), G Botha, V Matfield, B Botha, A van den Berg, J Muller, S Burger, W van Heerden, D Rossouw, J Smith, P Spies, B Skinstad.