Devine likely to take over captaincy

Steve Devine

Auckland are likely to be captained by halfback Steve Devine when they seek to make amends this Saturday for their hesitant NPC defeat last weekend.

A new skipper will be chosen, not as retribution for the 40-19 loss to Taranaki, but because of the late-match collision when Justin Collins was knocked out.

The blindside flanker had recovered enough to join the Auckland squad yesterday for the start of their two-day camp at Waiheke, but it would seem logical that he rest for the next game at Eden Park on Saturday.

That will remove Collins from a clash with his former Northland province and leave him on the casualty list with hamstrung loose-forward Jerome Kaino.

Northland have a great deal more worries, though, after their sixth successive defeat this year, the 41-3 loss to Otago in Whangarei.

When Auckland travelled to Australia for several pre-NPC matches, Devine captained the side in one game and he would seem to be a likely leader in Collins' absence.

The other captaincy candidate might be Angus Macdonald.

Auckland went on a different voyage yesterday to Waiheke, a trip on which they encountered rough seas to match their bumpy form at New Plymouth.

The mid-NPC camp had been planned for some time as the best method to absorb the side's All Blacks and re-acquaint them with some of the squad plans.

It also coincided with the coaching staff's need to question the team's strategies and individuals' commitment after Taranaki gave them a lesson in a raft of rugby's basics.

One of the squad's international wings, Joe Rokocoko or Doug Howlett, may be used, but Keven Mealamu, Ali Williams and Mils Muliaina will not be available until the next match against Wellington.