KEY POINTS:
Midway through the season, Pat Lam offered his thoughts on the progress Auckland had made during his tenure as coach.
The most potent attacking force in the country during the early years under his stewardship, Lam's 2007 side seemed to have added a measure of defensive steel. Their attack, too, appeared more structured, more refined.
"When I started I had third formers," Lam said. "Now I have seventh formers."
Tonight's Air New Zealand Cup final, then, is end-of-year exam time.
Auckland have the chance to show just how much they've learned in the 12 months since last year's 30-15 semifinal defeat by tonight's opponent Wellington at Eden Park.
That unexpected dose of capital punishment still rankles. This year, Lam said recently, was all about putting that result right.
But Auckland hadn't done anything radically different this campaign, Lam insisted.
The plan had always been for the team to play this way. The players had simply got better at executing the plan.
Benson Stanley, a peripheral member of the team in recent seasons before fully committing himself to the cause this year, agrees.
"I don't think there has been much of a change at all," Stanley said.
"I think people just know their roles a bit better. They are in the right places so it looks a bit better than it has done in previous years."
Having lifted the Ranfurly Shield off Canterbury in Christchurch and twice put competition upstarts Hawkes Bay to the sword using a game plan based on territory and physical domination, Auckland can be expected to again keep things simple tonight.
"It seems in the big games we go best when we play a fraction tighter and go a bit more direct," Stanley said.
"It just comes down to the boys and how we react to pressure and that seems to be the way we play."
Of the 22 Aucklanders who participated in last year's semifinal defeat, 15 are back for a shot at redemption.
Wellington's squad boasts just 11 survivors and three of their four try-scorers from last year's victory - Tana Umaga, Jerry Collins and Neemia Tialata - will be missing.
But even without those top-tier All Blacks, Wellington's strikepower appears largely undimmed.
Auckland's defence has been close to impregnable at times this season but it will be tested tonight, admits Stanley. "It is pretty important that we provide a single front in terms of our kick chase and general defence in phase play.
"Winning the contact is also going to be pretty important. We are both pretty physical teams and there are good ball carriers in both teams. It will be dictated by who can win the contact and win the rucks. It will be the team that handles the pressure best that wins it."
Angus Macdonald, one of five Aucklanders set to play their last game for the union before taking up a contract overseas, said the team were treating the match as just another day at the office.
"Basically for us nothing changes," he said. "We don't want to change anything we've done this whole year. If we make sure we are dead-on with our preparation and know what we want to get out of the game, then hopefully it will go our way."
Having recovered from a broken hand that kept him out of the side for much of the season, Macdonald has been named on a high-powered bench that includes recalled All Blacks Keven Mealamu and Isaia Toeava.
Wellington have countered that move by naming Rodney So'oialo and Conrad Smith in their reserves.
Macdonald will take up a two-year contract with Troy Flavell's former club Toyota in Japan in April.
First, though, he plans to have the summer off. If Auckland ace their final exam, he'll spend his holiday reflecting on a farewell season that brought Shield/Cup double success.
"It would be great to leave having left no stone unturned, heading into the summer and then away for a couple of years feeling really happy."
Auckland
Eden Park, 7.35pm today
Brent Ward
David Smith
Ben Atiga
Sam Tuitupou (c)
Benson Stanley
Isa Nacewa
Taniela Moa
Brad Mika
Daniel Braid
Jerome Kaino
Jay Williams
Kurtis Haiu
John Afoa
Tom McCartney
S. Taumoepeau
Wellington
Cory Jane
Hosea Gear
Tane Tuipulotu
Ma'a Nonu
Shannon Paku
Jimmy Gopperth
Piri Weepu (c)
Thomas Waldrom
Tom Harding
Api Naikatini
Bernie Upton
Jeremy Thrush
John Schwalger
Luke Mahoney
Jacob Ellison
Auckland: Keven Mealamu, Nick White, Troy Flavell, Angus Macdonald, Grayson Hart, Lachie Munro, Isaia Toeava.
Wellington: Dane Coles, Anthony Perenise, Fafili Levave, Rodney So'oialo, Alex Tulou, Alby Mathewson, Conrad Smith.
