Auckland on tour before new-look cup format

Pat Lam

Auckland are undergoing a Pacific Islands preparation for the new national domestic rugby competition starting at the end of next month.

Coach Pat Lam reveals his squad to defend their title in the rejigged cup next Monday morning, and on Thursday they fly to Fiji.

They play an invitation XV at Lautoka two days later before heading to Samoa to play the national team in Apia on July 15.

It will be the first time Auckland's provincial team has played in Samoa. The last time the teams met was at Eden Park in 2003, Auckland winning 21-16.

Warmup matches for the cup start today with premier division rivals Counties Manukau and Manawatu meeting in Palmerston North.

The game signals the beginning of several matches for teams in the northern region ahead of the opening round of the Air New Zealand Cup premier division on July 28-29.

Northland, with new coaching partnership of Mark Anscombe and Bruce Robertson, play Manawatu at Whangarei on Saturday and Counties host North Harbour at Mt Smart Stadium next Friday.

Bay of Plenty, whose new coach, Andre Bell, names his squad tomorrow, start off against Counties at Mount Smart on July 14, the same day North Harbour host Otago.

Waikato's squad will be named on July 17 and coach Warren Gatland has three games pencilled in to prepare his title bid: against Taranaki for the Ryan Wheeler Memorial Trophy in New Plymouth on July 14; against Wellington in Hamilton on July 22; and they finish against Bay of Plenty, also in Hamilton, on July 29, when both teams have the first-round bye in the cup.