Rugby: Bruce stepping up into leadership role

Callum Bruce nails a conversion against Manawatu last Saturday. He is now the cornerstone of the Waikato backline. Photo / Getty Images

During the Super 14, it was not too unkind to think of Callum Bruce as an uncelebrated link in a superstar Chiefs backline chain.

Just think of those around him: Brendon Leonard, Stephen Donald, Richard Kahui, Lelia Masaga, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Mils Muliaina. They were rugby-riches in a side which went all the way to the final.

Now that group has disbanded for the National Provincial Championship and gone their various ways, Bruce has stepped into the floodlights.

He is the cornerstone of the Waikato backline, the man tasked with guiding the side around the park though he does have help for tonight's game against Canterbury with national All Black halfback prospect Brendon Leonard making a handy drive-by appearance.

For Bruce, a Hawkes Bay-born midfield back who started at Otago and the Highlanders and gravitated north to Waikato and the Chiefs, this will be his first chance to gauge close-up the talents of Daniel Carter.

"I have never played against him because either he or I have been injured when our teams were due to play each other," Bruce said.

"He is the best first five-eighths in the world but I do not want to sit back and admire him too much. In saying that it is a shame we do not have Beaver [Stephen Donald] because he had such a great Super 14 for us and deserved to get in the All Blacks.

"But for this game we have got Sam Christie who has played a bit for us and will guide us round the track. He is going well."

After the Super 14, Bruce downed a few beers as he enjoyed his break until he got a late call-up for the Juniors when Chiefs teammate Masaga was whisked into the All Blacks.

"It was one of those things. You always hope you will make it, then when I missed out I had a rest I had not had for a while. Then, all that changed."

Now he is into NPC mode. Waikato were bounced in round one by Southland when they travelled to Invercargill with some of the boys feeling well out of their comfort zone in surroundings where the temperature sat about -3C.

But they regrouped to stave off Manawatu in a lively match last week.

"That was great to play in the afternoon, we played a bit more footy and managed to string a few phases together. It was a high-tempo match and both of us looked to play an attacking style."

It was a huge contrast to the kickathons seen in the Tri-Nations tests with both teams trying to use their attacking flavour.

"Maybe a lot of teams have seen those games and said it is not for them," Bruce suggested. "It is the nature of New Zealand rugby to have a go but when you get teams in South Africa like the Bulls, with their huge pack, whose plan is to use [Morne] Steyn to kick for his chasing players, then they are hard to play against.

"There is a variety of styles in our game where sides like Hawkes Bay, Manawatu and Counties-Manukau bring out their rugby and have a crack. It is exciting to be part of that scene."

Bruce felt Waikato might have been caught out in round one though he did not want to make any excuses for that loss. They had just not adjusted to the different tempo, surroundings and players in the provincial championship.

They had regrouped last week but needed to go to another level for this game against Canterbury.

"We want to make advances on our attacking play, we need to ask more questions of their defence," he said.

Some of that responsibility rested with him as one of the senior backline players. They had to challenge the Canterbury defensive systems in close to try and create space for the pace of men like Sosene Anesi and Tim Mickleson on the outside.

Canterbury had been solid in their victory last week against Auckland but they had been tipped up by Harbour in round one. Carter or no Carter, Waikato had to attack the game.

"We have been working on a few things.

"Whenever you hear Canterbury or the Crusaders you respect them because they always bring a good game to the table. We need to be right on our game."