The identity transform and all <a> links: xslt 1.0

Hi all,

this is for a separate XHTML job for which I have an urgent deadline - I'm
sure the answer is equally quick and simple.

If I take the identity transform and want to edit one element during the
transform, let's say <a> links, what is the best method for drawing them out
separately?

I tried this but it ignores me:

<xsl:template match="node()" priority="1">
    <xsl:copy>
        <xsl:apply-templates select="@*|node()"/>
    </xsl:copy>
</xsl:template>

<xsl:template match="@*" priority="1">
    <xsl:copy/>
</xsl:template>

<xsl:template match="a">
	I found an <xsl:value-of  select="name()"/> here!
</xsl:template>

I then created a complex work around using a choose statement in the node()
template and a named template but that also didn't work. Help please!

Thanks,
Richard