Auckland hunting for a big scalp

By WYNNE GRAY

As the big squeeze tightens in this round of the NPC, no match is bigger than Auckland's home game tonight against defending champions Canterbury.

It pits a side suspected of being on the rise against a team chockful of All Blacks but showing rough edges in the first half of the competition.

This game begins a weekend when the top sides compare their talents and the bottom group measure up in their relegation stoushes.

Rugby rivalry in New Zealand does not get much bigger than Auckland and Canterbury: they have been the pre-eminent provinces in the last two decades.

Canterbury have gained the advantage in recent seasons and their victories last year are still fresh wounds for Auckland. In a fortnight they belted Auckland twice, 38-10 in roundrobin and then 53-22 in the NPC semifinal.

"We have nothing to lose. It will be a big scalp to grab if we win this game," Auckland coach Wayne Pivac said.

He has been encouraged by his side's progress after the opening stumble against Taranaki. The forwards have worked strongly in set pieces, they have produced some withering attack and the defence has been organised although there are worries about concentration lapses.

"The last thing we want to do is not fire a shot," Pivac said.

He did not want to assess Canterbury much, not publicly anyway.

Waikato had delivered a style to beat the champions, they had shown the way for the rest of the provinces.

"Canterbury really took it to them as well but Waikato never let their foot off their throats, they were pretty impressive.

"It would be great to repeat some of that. It is also a great opportunity for all of our guys to put themselves up against All Blacks," said Pivac.

If Canterbury win they keep well in touch with the top four; if Auckland are victorious they will feel a semifinal is in their grasp.

Defeat would hurt Canterbury more as they lie mid-table while Auckland are second. A loss for the visitors would also be another blip in the All Black selection ideas.

Auckland have been in tune and have also misfired as they gathered four straight wins, building some confidence with their results. But they will face the sort of relentless scrutiny some of the younger players are not yet familiar with.

Canterbury have the experience to vary the tempo in this game. They bring big-game temperaments too, even if they have not been regularly visible in this year's NPC.

As one droll observer noted: "I think Canterbury's problem has been they have had trouble stepping down."

Both sides have shown sizzle in their attack, a desire to use the width of the park instead of the limited forward surges others resort to.

It is on defence that Auckland have shown some remarkable statistics, conceding just seven tries while Canterbury have leaked 21 tries.

If that pattern continues Auckland can create an upset but if they yield penalties at some of their past alarming rates, Andrew Mehrtens will punish them.