Rugby: All we need is luck, says Pivac

By Wynne Gray

The pattern is the same this week for the Auckland rugby team, but coach Wayne Pivac and his staff want a different outcome.

They travel away again for a top- of-the-table NPC clash with Otago after the despair of the single point injury-time loss to Canterbury in the last round. Pivac hopes Auckland can show some of the pluck and gain some of the luck the defending champions Otago have had in a couple of matches.

"They have lost a huge number of players to the All Blacks but they have kept their game going - they have ridden their luck though I hope that runs out this weekend," Pivac chuckled.

On a more serious note, he said Auckland had to make sure they played well to help their fortunes as co-leaders with Otago.

"In our last game we gave away too many penalties and that impacted on our chances of victory. This is another night game where bonus points may be difficult to come by and we will just be thinking about getting a win."

First up will be making sure three key players, captain Paul Thomson, lock Charles Riechelmann and flanker Mark Carter, have recovered from injury.

Thomson has been cleared by x-ray of any serious shoulder damage and should be fit to train today. Riechelmann is also expected to be all right after his recent rib troubles while Carter needs to be checked after some ankle problems.

"I am confident the medical team will get Paul on track and the others too," said Pivac. "We will assess them and also whether we need to change our ideas for Otago and then choose our side."

Meanwhile, Ranfurly Shield holders Waikato have a couple of injury concerns too with their captain Deon Muir troubled by a thigh and knee injury and huge lock Mark Cooksley suffering some severe bruising to his neck after the very physical match with Southland.

Waikato expect to pick their team tomorrow for Saturday's defence against Wellington.