NPC title would be icing on a brilliant season

By DAVID LEGGAT

To quote the colourful old New York Yankees baseballer Yogi Berra, Xavier Rush has a chance to experience deja vu all over again tonight.

Should the Auckland captain step up to collect the Air New Zealand NPC title at Wellington's Cake Tin, it will be his third such trip to the dais this year.

Not that Rush will be complaining about weary legs as he climbs the steps.

He has already held the Super 12 trophy and the significantly more splendid Ranfurly Shield above his head this year.

Victory over Wellington would round off an immensely satisfying year for Auckland rugby and its captain.

Before the Super 12 began, there were whispers that Rush would find it hard to nail down a regular place, as Ron Cribb was mounting a challenge for his place.

Instead, Rush made every game a winner, to the extent that he was even tipped as a chance to add to the All Black cap he received against Australia five years ago.

That didn't happen, but taking the shield off Canterbury at Jade Stadium was special and retaining the NPC title will be the icing on the province's cake.

But if Rush feels inclined to puff his chest out, he hides it well.

"I feel pretty fortunate leading the sort of side I do," he said.

"We've got fantastic players, fantastic people involved in the Blues and NPC environments.

"I've been with [Auckland coaches] Wayne Pivac and Foxy [Grant Fox] for five years and we've got to know each other pretty well.

"We're a tight unit and the way everyone has moulded together, it's the closest environment I've ever been involved in."

Leadership and Rush have been synonymous at various levels for several years.

He captained the national under-19s to victory away to Australia in 1996.

He led the New Zealand Colts a year later and took charge of Auckland in 2001.

Having become used to wearing an armband and running out first, the 26-year-old Rush is sure of one thing. "I feel more comfortable leading now than I did in my younger days."