Canterbury await Mauger baby

By WYNNE GRAY

Canterbury are on baby watch on the eve of tomorrow's decisive showdown with Auckland.

The threatened arrival of Aaron Mauger's first child will decide the final composition of the Canterbury backline, which has already lost halfback Justin Marshall to injury.

Mauger has been selected at second five-eighths for the Eden Park match, but unless his child is born this evening, and Mauger feels comfortable enough to travel tomorrow, there will be changes.

Daniel Carter will be shifted into his All Black midfield position and Ben Blair will be recalled to fullback.

For a side with an orderly reputation, the Mauger fatherhood drama has left Canterbury with no control over their final backline formation.

"If you've got any ideas about this can you let us know," coach Aussie McLean joked yesterday. "But it is not too bad because we have known about it for a while and no one would deny Aaron this special time.

"We will leave a space open for Aaron until probably Saturday morning and then, to be fair to everyone, we will have to make a decision."

In making just the one change - for the injured Marshall - from the side who dealt to Waikato last weekend, McLean said it made sense to roll the same team over.

"There was a lot of intensity in that game and we expect we will be required to deal with that same level against Auckland.

"We have no doubts Auckland will play like they did against Taranaki [winning 51-22]."

When quizzed about Auckland's new loosehead prop Saimone Taumoepeau, McLean acknowledged his contribution, but also noted the prowess of his Canterbury opponent, Greg Somerville.

McLean also hinted that Canterbury felt there was something not quite kosher about Taumoepeau's tactics, but would go no further other than to say it was up to referee Steve Walsh to adjudicate.

Canterbury would not approach Walsh about any concerns, nor would they mention any in public, because that would just invite responses from Auckland coach Pat Lam.

"We are looking forward to this game with nervous anticipation. The shame is that at the end of it, one of us will most likely miss out on the final four."