KEY POINTS:
For a coach powerless to prevent his peerless side fragment after their unbeaten rugby season reaped both the Ranfurly Shield and Air NZ Cup, Pat Lam is remarkably at ease.
Understandably, Lam was not about to pronounce Auckland's Air NZ Cup final victory over Wellington here on Saturday night as the end of an era, although six players are heading overseas, two to rival provinces and four more to retirement.
By Lam's calculation his side defend their title next season shorn of at least 580 games worth of experience but he is far from despondent as he looks forward to fostering a remodelled leadership group in 2008.
The loss of the likes of captain Sam Tuitupou, Brent Ward, Ali Williams, Angus Macdonald, Saimone Taumoepeau and Brad Mika will be keenly felt but Lam and assistant Shane Howarth insist the succession planning is already under way.
"It's exciting," Lam said, in the aftermath of Auckland's 23-14 win at Eden Park.
"We plan for this, we knew these guys were going. These guys have done a fantastic job in our leadership group, they've incorporated everyone into the team and these guys have passed all the traditions on," Lam said.
"In the last few weeks we've had the next tier of guys attend the leadership meeting just to get a taste so they can pick it up after they go.
"When you look at young Benson Stanley coming through - he can step right into Sammy's shoes, he's moulded his game on Sammy," said Lam, citing one of the next breed of Auckland players.
Stanley played his 18th game for the province in the final and is likely to switch to the midfield from the wing next season.
Auckland are also fortunate to have retained an experienced core with first five-eighth Isa Nacewa, utility back Ben Atiga, flanker Daniel Braid and prop John Afoa already over the 50-game mark.
Lam, who signed a three-year contract extension at the start of the season, admitted "we'll be in a bit of a rebuild next season but after what these young guys have already done ... it's going to be exciting times in the next couple of years," said Lam, who signed a three-year extension at the start of the season.
Added Howarth: "You talk about the guys that are leaving but their legacy is the important thing,
"That's what we've worked on. There's a lot of young boys that have been around the fringes - these guys have learned off your Sammys and Wardys ... the traditions that go with the blue and white jersey."
Wellington coach Aussie McLean also put a positive spin on his side's future despite the province losing their fourth consecutive final.
He was loathe to speak about rebuilding but after the loss of experienced players last year, Tana Umaga's mid-season departure and the absence of his All Blacks loose forwards, McLean was upbeat about the future.
"I'm really proud of our forwards, I think there's the basis of a really strong Wellington team going forward," he said, in reference to prop Jacob Ellison, hooker Dane Coles, lock Jeremy Thrush and No 8 Thomas Waldrom.
"When you have a World Cup year one positive is a number of guys are able to grow.
"The guys get the continuous footy they don't get when the stars are here.
"Jacob's barely had 12 months as a prop, (blindside flanker) Api Naikatini had a really good season as well," McLean said.
NZPA
