Wynne Gray: They're all blue tonight

Most NPC matches between Auckland and Otago have involved plenty of sting.

The most memorable may have been the 1995 final at Eden Park when referee Colin Hawke, in the dying minutes, ruled that visiting halfback Stu Forster had kicked the ball out of the Auckland scrum.

It was a momentous decision. Hawke's verdict cost Otago a penalty try and the title. It was impossible not to feel a great deal of sympathy for Otago as they contemplated a 23-19 defeat.

Some of that drama may return tonight at Eden Park, but there has been little pre-match intrigue about two teams who have muddled through their undistinguished seasons.

Also missing tonight from the press box will be Brent Edwards, the senior rugby writer for the Otago Daily Times for the last three decades who decided, recently, to call it quits.

On his departure he wrote that he regretted never being able to report Otago winning the Ranfurly Shield.

Edwards covered Otago's only two NPC title successes in 1991 and 1998, and, like the team's senior pros Anton Oliver, Carl Hoeft, Simon Maling and John Leslie, must have been distressed by the side's form this season.

Edwards has been spared tonight's immaterial conclusion.

There are All Black places to play for but there has been a noticeable public indifference to this match. Auckland may have won the NPC 14 times but their failure to defend the title or even give themselves a chance, has been felt.

Attendances at Eden Park this campaign have averaged 18,500 with the best the 30,000 crowd for last week's game against Canterbury. Tonight, who knows?

Even the participants struggle to be upbeat. It's an understandable reaction, as Auckland and Otago know they will leave Eden Park in seventh and eight place on the table.

More attention will be on other departures. Leslie has quit the game, Maling and Kees Meeuws are set to announce their exits for overseas contracts and it could be Oliver's last hurrah.

Quizzed about his intentions, the former All Black hooker was reluctant to go into much detail. He did not want discussions about his future to dominate the buildup to this match.

It was a worthy reaction from the hooker who has served Otago diligently since 1994 but will reveal his version of last year's ructions in the Highlanders when his career is over.

Oliver, in conjunction with author Brian Turner, is fine-tuning a book which will be released once Oliver is clear of his New Zealand Rugby Union contract.

Publication has been delayed because Oliver's NZRFU contract prevents him divulging any details of the franchise quarrel.

If Oliver decides by next Friday's deadline that he will not pursue another Super 12 campaign, his NZRFU contract will expire at the end of the year.


He is keen to pursue his university studies at either Cambridge or Oxford next year but could play a further Super 12 series before that or take up an overseas rugby deal.

Or he could spend plenty of time at his Central Otago retreat, read books and go tramping throughout New Zealand.

"It has always amazed me when people go overseas to do their OE and make comments about New Zealand that they have not been around this country much. If you don't know your own country, and by extension yourself, how can you be objective about what you are seeing?"

As a professional sportsman, Oliver has made many compromises in his life and is about ready to live a little.

"But there are so many issues, so many pros and cons and I have to speak to a few people yet," he said.

"It almost feels like a decision about whether I am going to amputate an appendage. This is my 11th year with Otago, I am 29 now and that is over a third of my life with this team.

"My head is battling with my heart."

Those sentiments will not be consigned to just Oliver tonight and in following weeks as Auckland and Otago sift through their sorry seasons.


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