Lam plays it cool

Auckland's Isa Nacewa offloads the ball before being tackled by Wellington's Lome Fa'atau. PIcture / Fotopress

Auckland 19 Wellington 12

So it looks like Auckland coach Pat Lam may have indeed found the light at the end of what has been a very long tunnel.

Early days, of course, but if Auckland can build on what they showed at Eden Park yesterday, they will be scrapping it out at the right end of the table this season.

The trick to evaluating a side at this stage of a campaign is to not get too worried about dropped balls, sliced kicks and missed tackles. Those sorts of mistakes are inevitable and easily fixed.

The important things to get right are the set-pieces, ball retention and the continuity. There needs to be some evidence that the players acknowledge there is a game plan.

And that's where the good news kicks in for Auckland supporters. Saimone Taumeopeau put the bite on in the scrums and there was a degree of efficiency about their lineout work, though Lam felt there was room for improvement.

There was also no confusion as to how Auckland were trying to play.

Fast, recycled ball is whipped to a backline that will be too quick and enterprising for most teams if it can just find a bit more fluency.

The enterprising Isa Nacewa may just be the man to bring this backline together and get them more efficient at exploiting opportunities.

Played either on the wing or at fullback by the Blues, Nacewa looked a player of real ability yesterday at second five-eighths. His ability to off-load out of thick traffic may be Auckland's trump card in weeks to come.

As might the quite outrageously hirsute Kurtis Haiu, who impressed at lock with his hunger and work at the lineout, where he leapt impressively for a man who carrying several kilos of hair atop his bonce.

Where the real satisfaction came was the continuity. Last year too many players became adept at water retention rather than ball retention. That problem certainly looked fixed yesterday with Auckland able to hold the ball for longer than they managed in the whole of 2004.

When the pressure comes on in a few weeks it may, of course, all go horribly wrong. The same old failings may surface. But if they do, it will be the fault of the players.

Yesterday they arrived at the breakdown in numbers and protected the ball. The body positions were good and, at last, they seem to have learned there is no shame in taking the contact and placing the ball safely.

There's no doubt, then, that this side can play controlled and disciplined football when they want to. If the collective brain is engaged they can compete, which is why the TAB have installed them as second favourites behind Canterbury.

Lam, however, is playing down their chances. "That surprises me," was his reaction to the the TAB rating. "We are going through a rebuilding phase. Everyone knows about the players who have left. I counted tries we bombed but what pleases me is the way the guys from the Academy have come through the tour of Australia and now this game. We needed a good game against quality opposition before we play Harbour next week and I think we got that today."

Wellington appeared to be a side desperately trying to keep their powder dry, with their only penetration coming from Ma'a Nonu.

Auckland 19 (S. Devine try; B. Ward 4 pens, con).


Wellington 12 (H. Gear, N. Hunt tries, J. Gopperth con).


- HERALD ON SUNDAY