Hamilton: Weeks after celebrating England's win over New Zealand at the Rugby World Cup semi-finals Daryl Mitchell is now all set to make his debut for the Black Caps in the second Test against Three Lions.
Daryl Mitchell is son of John Mitchell, the former All Blacks coach who is now an assistant under Eddie Jones with England, that knocked out New Zealand from the Rugby World Cup.
The all-rounder will replace the injured Colin de Grandhomme in Hamilton, but New Zealand have delayed a decision on whether Matt Henry or Lockie Ferguson will come in for injured bowling spearhead Trent Boult.
With New Zealand looking for a clean sweep after winning the first Test by an innings and 65 runs, senior batsman Ross Taylor said the weather and pitch conditions before the second and final Test will determine the bowling line-up.
Taylor also had no doubt that Mitchell, who has previously played Twenty20 internationals for New Zealand, would slot successfully into the Test team.
New Zealand's player depth "is definitely the best it's every been in my career", Taylor said.
"When I first started out, when we had a guy on debut we hoped the player would do well but now I think we expect the player to do well."
With a Test cap to his name Mitchell will go a step further than his father, who played six mid-week tour matches but no Tests for the All Blacks before turning to coaching and taking New Zealand to third at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
Daryl Mitchell has admitted he had mixed feelings when England beat New Zealand in the World Cup semi-finals in Japan. They lost to South Africa in the final.
"It's a strange watch, to be fair. Your whole life you grow up supporting the All Blacks, but at the same time you want your old man to do well," the 28-year-old said after England won 19-7.
"At the end of the day, I wanted the old man to do well. To get a chance to win a World Cup final is pretty cool. The whole family is supporting him."
Mitchell has played nine Twenty20 internationals for New Zealand. In first-class cricket at domestic level, the right-hand batsman and medium-fast bowler averages 35.6 with the bat and 33.5 with the ball.
