Face-off in front row

By WYNNE GRAY

If Keven Mealamu needed any reminder about the task he and Auckland confront, he got it from a newspaper article this week.

Not that Mealamu strikes you as someone who needs motivation. He was one of the first All Blacks to return to NPC action after the Tri-Nations.

He ignored any structural fatigue and the distraction of the impending birth of his daughter, Maia, to come on for the second half against Waikato.

It was a tough reappearance, as Auckland were flogged.

It will be just as torrid tomorrow at Eden Park because Auckland, if they aspire to defend their NPC title, cannot contemplate anything but victory against the series leaders, Taranaki.


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And for Mealamu, the challenge will also be a shade personal with the arrival of his All Black hooking colleague Andrew Hore.

The pair are in competition for All Black places on the end-of-year tour, just like 2002 when, as rookies, they shared the test duties against England, France and Wales.

Hore got the two major tests on that trip but since then Mealamu has been the preferred All Black hooker. And Hore almost conceded that ranking as he divulged in a Daily News interview this week.

One of Mealamu's relations sent him a copy.

"I have read a few papers as well, seen his face in there too and there is a definitely a bit of motivation there for him," Mealamu said, "and that makes it even better for me too."

In the interview, Hore revealed how close he came to quitting rugby before signing on for a further two years with Taranaki.

He was frustrated at starting only one of the All Black tests this season and seriously considered ditching the sport in favour of working on his central Otago farm.

"I was going to flag it at the end of this year, it was a pretty close thing," he said.

"I was thinking of heading back down there and getting close to the farm."

Taranaki's early NPC form altered Hore's intentions.

It does not get much better than five straight wins, including the most recent victory against Canterbury, to lead the competition. Hore has been a spearhead in the Taranaki pack - one which has created an enormous impression on Auckland coach Pat Lam.

The 26-year-old Hore is one of the Taranaki leaders. He is reliable in all departments. His lineout throwing is accurate, his scrummaging is intense while his all-round vigour and eye for the tryline also stand out.

"As soon as I saw the draw for this weekend I thought about Andy straight away," Mealamu said. "You have to put yourself to the test and he is playing some really good rugby at the moment.

"He is also obviously very motivated for this game because he is sick of sitting on the bench.

"Any opportunity I get to wear the black jersey I will take so if I get the chance to tour at the end of the year I will take it.

"I never ever want to turn down the black jersey."


Mealamu said his reintroduction to the NPC had been difficult. A victory would go some way to balance three consecutive defeats.

"When you keep losing, you wonder whether it is worth it but I enjoy playing NPC, playing with Auckland and I wouldn't take anything back.

"It would be a different interview if we were winning, but you have to take the bad times with the good."

Hore was a tough opponent, a dangerous man round the fringes if his forwards were controlling the momentum.

"The man is unbelievably hard to stop, he scores a fair amount of tries, so if they get close to the tryline I will have to keep an eye on him because that is where the ball is likely to be."

Mealamu did not feel fatigued, but he was tired of Auckland's losing run.

There had been some headscratching after Auckland, with plenty of possession, had been unable to crack North Harbour and Wellington.

"Everyone knows how some of our backs go, so I think they have been shut down more than other seasons," Mealamu said. "We will have to find other ways of getting the job done."

Lam had a strong knowledge of forward play, he was a cool customer who had kept his composure under mounting criticism.

Lam and his assistants, Shane Howarth and Frank Bunce, had provided the framework, it was up to the players to deliver a better response.