Rugby: 21-year-old forward wise beyond his years

Joe Edwards is into his fourth season with Auckland and is on the hunt for a Super contract. Photo / Getty Images

Auckland’s Joe Edwards, who will be a force against Waikato today, has been around long enough to be one of the team leaders.

It is a sign of the times that 21-year-old Joe Edwards is one of the leaders of the Auckland pack.

But the Auckland loosie is into his fourth season with the team and started the 2012 Premiership final against Canterbury as a teenage No 8. He is closing in on 30 games and his strong form and sure defence has seen him make his last 34 tackles.

Edwards has been struck by the injury curse too often for him to make an impact at Super Rugby level, where he has just four matches for the Blues, but he cracked the Maori All Blacks in July and is on the hunt for a Super Rugby contract.

"I know the [Auckland] coaches and they trust me. I see myself as a bit of a leader. I'm still young but I enjoy helping the young ones out. We have a young leadership group," he said. "I'm pretty happy with how I'm going, playing some good footy, getting good minutes. It's hard to play consistently good footy when you are getting injured and playing in patches."

Edwards, like all his teammates, knows their focus must be on victory against old foes Waikato to stay in touch with the Premiership leaders. A physical Waikato ran rampant for much of their 43-10 win over Bay of Plenty last Sunday, while Auckland had their moments but were edged by Canterbury in a rare loss on Eden Park.

"It was disappointing to drop that one. Every good Auckland side in the past has punished the next team they play after a loss. This week's focus is just doing our job," said Edwards, who will mark Mooloos co-captain and NZU rep Whetu Douglas.

Charlie Piutau is named at centre, while Charlie Faumuina will play around 50 minutes. The in-form Ben Lam returns to the wing. Centre Vince Aso will be fit next week, while halfback Leon Fukofuka will need to be monitored through the Bs after a long layoff. Luckless lock Liaki Moli is out for the season after breaking his arm. Auckland coach Paul Feeney is expecting Waikato to offer much stiffer opposition than they showed at Eden Park last year when they endured a 60-19 shellacking.

Cult hero Stephen Donald returns to the Waikato squad, while new Chiefs signing, prop Atu Moli, will also come off the bench.

ITM Cup

Waikato v Auckland
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, 2.35pm today
Waikato: Shaun Stevenson, Declan O'Donnell, Anton Lienert-Brown, Jordan Payne, Dylan Collier, Damian McKenzie, Brad Weber (co-c), Josh Tyrell, Zane Kapeli, Whetu Douglas (co-c), Jacob Skeen, James Tucker, Ben Tameifuna, Michael Mayhew, Loni Uhila; Reserves: Hame Faiva, Atu Moli, Josh Hohneck, David Morgan, Mitch Jacobson, Harrison Levien, Stephen Donald, Johnathan Malo
Auckland: Melani Nanai, Bryce Heem, Charlie Piutau, George Moala, Ben Lam, Simon Hickey (c), Kaito Shigeno, Akira Ioane, Mitch Karpik, Joe Edwards, Michael Fatialofa, Scott Scrafton, Charlie Faumuina, Greg Pleasants-Tate, Sam Prattley; Reserves: Kurt Eklund, Isi Tu'ungafasi, Jono Owen, Taleni Seu, Matt Matich, Jono Hickey, Mitch Hunt, Rieko Ioane