Taniwha's gain as Munro is snubbed by Auckland

Lachie Munro found out 10-days ago that Auckland rugby coaches didn't rate him enough to offer him a contract.
Now the 21-year-old Auckland first five eighths has jumped ship and joined the Taniwha on a two-year deal to try and step into the boots of David Holwell, the record breaking No.10 who has yet to re-sign for another season of provincial rugby next season.
It is the fourth major signing for Northland's Air NZ Cup campaign next season, flanker Joel McKenty also adding his name in ink at the weekend to ensure the Northland forward pack maintained some experience for another year at least.
Prop Bronson Murray and fullback Jared Payne have also signed up on special loan-back deals with Canterbury and the Crusaders. Indications are that veterans Justin Collins and Holwell will also add their names to the roster next season.
Star winger Rene Ranger has yet to agree to terms though, with rival offers (including from Auckland) on the table. Munro was released by Auckland last week, his chances of scoring a Blues Super 14 contract apparently wiped after the big city union failed to make the quarterfinals of the Air NZ Cup this season.
But almost immediately Munro had contract offers coming in as the former NZ Sevens and NZ age group player is seen as a topline rugby talent of the future.
On the advice of his club coaches at Grammar Carlton in Auckland, and with the additional carrot of being able to finish his university studies in Auckland, Munro rebuffed contracts tabled from Hawke's Bay and Wellington to nail down a regular starting spot with Northland.
The aim now is to try and break into Super 14 rugby.
"I ended up having a good look all around the place and it looked like Northland was the best chance of getting a run. I knew a couple of guys who got up there this year and they said it was a great environment to be in and I got hold of David [Holwell], who told me his body was a bit beaten up and his shoulder was hanging on by a very skinny thread and that Northland might be a good place to give it a go, and that swung it really," Munro said.
"The experience of having David Holwell to learn from and get the sort of knowledge that might help was all part of it too," he said.
"It was a bit of a shock to be told by Auckland that they didn't want me to be honest, definitely not expected. I was told I had a contract then just a week and a half ago was told I didn't, so that took a bit of getting used to," he said.
Despite having to table downgraded contract offers to try and meet budgets next year, Northland rugby chairman Andrew Golightly is confident many more players will confirm this week.
This year the Northland union spent $850,000 on player contracts. The union is being forced to cut that figure back to $750,000.
"The situation with Lachie [Munro] could really be a win-win because it could take a bit of pressure off David [Holwell]. It is a contract for two years and there are a couple of young guys coming through who will probably come into contention for 2010/11," Golightly said.
"The key for us was being close enough to his roots in Auckland to let him finish studies at university and then play rugby in and for Northland," he said.
Munro first came to prominence when New Zealand Sevens guru Gordon Tietjens picked him in 2006. Munro was selected in the New Zealand Colts team last season and has now banked 29 games for Auckland.
He played second fiddle to others such as Isa Nacewa, Tasesa Lavea and then Nick Evans in Auckland.