KEY POINTS:
Not for the first time Canterbury can look with a degree of envy towards Auckland, with the province's respective pre-Air New Zealand Cup rugby camps the latest source of mild jealously.
While Canterbury follow their pre-season match against Southland in Invercargill on Saturday with a three-day camp in the hydro town of Twizel, last year's beaten semifinalists, Auckland, have arguably trumped last season's jaunt through the Pacific islands with a six-day trip to Thailand.
A 26-man squad leave for Bangkok on Saturday for a training and coaching principally financed by the Thailand Rugby Union after the Auckland Rugby Union hosted under-15 teams from the Thai capital for the last two years.
"This trip may be the most extravagant we've done but actually it is costing us less to do it," said coach Pat Lam, who added the trip would have a major impact on the players' individual and collective development ahead of the domestic competition starting on July 26.
"Last year I took the boys to Fiji and Samoa, the year before we went to Australia," Lam said.
"As a player, touring is the best way to get to know the other guys when you are preparing for a campaign.
"It also gives us the chance to build as a unit and to get the understanding of our game going again."
Lam said the biggest challenge he faced was a relatively short preparation time compared to the Super 14 franchises.
"Unlike the Super 14, where they get an eight-week buildup, we have a situation where some of our players are playing for Junior All Black, sevens, New Zealand Maori and colts -- so everyone comes back at different times.
"We are effectively down to a two to three-week buildup, so we need to get away somewhere in a camp situation."
The squad return on July 13.
Auckland squad
John Afoa, Nick White, Chris Heard, Charlie Faumauina, Saimone Taumoepeau, Lance Poching, Kurtis Haiu, Brad Mika, Stan Haukanima, Jay Williams, Jerome Kaino, Angus Macdonald, Daniel Braid, Onesai Tololima-Auva'a, Steve Devine, Taniela Moa, Lachie Munro, Tasesa Lavea, Jamie Helleur, Sam Tuitupou, Benson Stanley, David Smith, Ben Atiga, Jarek Goebel, Isa Nacewa, Brent Ward.
- NZPA
