KEY POINTS:
Yesterday the scoreboard at Gisborne's Rugby Park read Poverty Bay 32 Auckland 5. In the middle the time read 00.
"Those two noughts should be on the other side of that five," quipped one of a bunch of blokes from a local rugby club that will be on security duty when the game kicks off this afternoon.
Rugby Park is a fine-looking venue. Its playing surface looks first class. Yesterday the sun was beating down. More of the same is expected today.
The locals could have been forgiven for praying for a deluge to bridge the gulf in talent between the two sides.
But they aren't having any of that.
"We want to see good rugby," says Poverty Bay president Fred Smith.
They should get their wish. Despite the late withdrawals of Isaia Toeava and David Smith, Auckland have named a team with pace and flair.
And it's not as if they will be against a Bay team full of crafty veterans. Of the 25 players that were in last year's Lochore Cup-winning side, just 10 have returned. "I heard Pat talking about their turnover of players, but ours at our level is just as big as well," says Bay coach Paul Feeney, the former North Harbour back.
"And we don't really have the depth coming through."
Six Bay players will be making their first class debut. "It's a good opportunity for a young player. They can get stuck in and pit themselves against the best," says Feeney.
One hesitates to use the phrase lambs to the slaughter, but Feeney is realistic.
His side have set themselves small goals within the game.
They want to win a certain percentage of lineouts, they want to leave a few bruises on their bigger, faster and stronger opponents, and they want to score a try.
People around here still talk about the 1959 Lions game, when 14,000 people turned up to watch their local heroes come within a couple of points of an upset.
And the 80s Shield challenge against Auckland at Eden Park when they again came within a score. But they aren't expecting that today.
If 5000 people turn up the union will break even. If the expected 8000 to 9000 show, they'll turn a tidy profit.
That money will be channelled back into the game. And that will be a good result. Not as good as a 32-5 win. But good all the same.
