Why? The answer is crystal clear in the pages of Cullen’s recently published autobiography “Life on the Run”, by journalist John Matheson.
The Munster bound Cullen, who is New Zealand’s record try scorer with 46 in 58 Tests, is on the official stand-by list, but can hardly be expecting a trip top Australia after calling Mitchell a “d**k” in his book.
That comment, as well as confining him to the Wellington NPC team until his switch to Ireland, could also see him slapped with a ,000 (1,700 pounds) by New Zealand rugby bosses.
Cullen was sensationally dumped from the All Blacks squad by Mitchell and the 27-year-old “Paekakariki Express” has had his revenge by describing Mitchell as “unstrustworthy and a poor manager” and adding, “I didn’t trust him from day one.”
Cullen further accused Mitchell of misleading the public by announcing he has been dropped from the 2001 Test squad. The full-back claims he already told team officials that he would unavailable because of a knee injury.
“I was fuming, he had no right to say that,” said Cullen. “Then he made a comment about how, because he hadn’t caoched any (of the dropped players) before, he didn’t owe us a phone call.
“Coming from an All Black coach I thought he was a bit of a d**k for saying that.
“That’s like saying everything that has ever been achieved in that jersey before he came along counts for nothing.
“It’s like saying the heritage, the tradition, the winning record is worthless..the result of all this was that I didn’t trust him.”
Cullen remains enormously popular in New Zealand and when he announced earlier this year that he was moving to Irish province Munster, fans crammed aboard a special train trip to Paekakariki to visit sites from his past and view memorabilia such as his old schoolboy trophies.
In contrast Mitchell, as seen during this World Cup already, is a remote and distant figure though has the backing of the NZRU who has accused Cullen of trying to destabilise the cup campaign.
Mitchell has so far refused to comment on the book but when asked if Cullen would replace the injured Blair in the squad he gave a clear and concise answer: “No.”
