No place for faint hearts

Jono Gibbes is a safe pair of hands to have alongside younger players in the trenches. Phil Walter / Getty Images

A chat with Anton Oliver after last weekend's semifinal had a touch of resonance for Jono Gibbes. As the two old warriors compared notes after Waikato had cleaned out Otago to take their place in tomorrow's Air New Zealand Cup final, they found similar ground.

Gibbes has had a (c) after his name for so long it's become an automatic keystroke on rugby keyboards. This season, loose forward Steven Bates has done the job at Waikato. He has won plaudits for the way he's gone about it, and Gibbes has relished that bit of extra freedom.

"I feel really refreshed," he said. "I had a good yarn with Anton after the Otago game. He felt in a similar position a few years ago when he wasn't Otago captain for the first time and he loved it.

"I can relate to that. I've enjoyed Batesy's approach. It's a little different to mine in some respects but he's been really good for us. And it's freed me up. I've not been injured which is, a: a miracle, and b: bloody enjoyable."

For someone often cited as the heart of Waikato and Chiefs rugby - and an inspirational figure for New Zealand Maori - Gibbes is realistic about what is required against Wellington. Emotion is only part of it.

Yes, it's great to have a full house of support; playing at home has its advantages. But heads as well as hearts will be required for victory.

"In my experience, emotion will only get you so far against quality opposition," Gibbes said. "You can't play a big game on emotion alone. Things have to be technically right."

When the season began, Gibbes said two goals loomed large: consistency and getting the best out of Waikato's young talent.

He said Waikato teams have had a tendency to follow a top-class effort with something mediocre. They could see consistency would be rewarded in the cup, where points were carried into the second round, and home quarter and semifinals achieved.

"And what's given us confidence is the young guys are a year older and their contribution - guys like Brendon Leonard, Liam Messam, Richard Kahui and Nathan White - has been outstanding. They've grown and added so much.

"With some of us coming back and Batesy and [coach] Warren Gatland giving us fantastic direction, it's been the sum of a few parts really, parts that weren't quite there last year."

Gibbes made his Waikato debut in the old NPC against Otago in 2000. He played every game at blindside flanker but, for a mix of reasons, has not played a full championship since. Now he's installed at lock, teaming up with another bloke whose been round the clock a couple of times in rugby terms, Keith Robinson. They've brought stability and grunt to a pack which has a razzle-dazzle loose forward mix and an impressive front row, including unheralded props Nathan White and Craig West.

They are preparing for a bruising square-off against Wellington's pack. Gibbes admires their class and finesse in the backs but has been on the receiving end of a few physical duffings from Wellington's rugged forwards. When Waikato beat them 37-21 in the second round, it was on the back of a powerful forward effort, which Gibbes knows will need to be repeated tomorrow.

"You look at Jerry [Collins] and Rodders [So'oialo] and Neemia Tialata. They punish you if you're not up to it physically.

"They're pretty direct and if you can't contain them they're going to keep offloading and getting in behind you. It's going to be a bit of a brute force affair really."

No place for faint hearts then, and it's times like this it's reassuring for the young Waikato players to have the likes of Gibbes standing alongside them.