Rugby: Auckland A's look for double

By DON CAMERON

Wayne Pivac, the Auckland selector-coach, comfortably plugged into the old cliche about the wake-up call when his side lost 28-34 to Canterbury in a friendly romp at Waiheke early last week.

Pivac was not concerned with the result - he had the game designed as the final trial for the Air New Zealand NPC campaign that will start against Taranaki at Eden Park tomorrow night.

But when Auckland lost 6-24 to Northland at Whangarei in the dress rehearsal on Saturday night the Waiheke wake-up call was followed by Auckland being tossed out onto the cold, hard floor of rugby reality.

Auckland started with four wins last winter and Pivac sees a quick and successful start as being essential to a successful campaign. He is looking forward, rather than back.

Which is just as well, for since Taranaki rejoined the first division they have scored 42-39 (taking the Ranfurly Shield as well), 19-17, 31-16 wins and a narrow 17-18 loss against Auckland.

The surplus Robin Brooke could still be recalled in a playing or injury emergency and on Sunday Pivac received the good news that the two Auckland All Blacks, Craig Dowd and Doug Howlett, will be available for tomorrow night.

This will lift the experience level - vital for Auckland, who are now looking at a smallish group of very experienced players and a largish collection of highly promising youngsters. Adrian Cashmore, Craig Innes and Carlos Spencer supply the backs with more than 50 appearances for Auckland, but with Mark Carter absent for three or four weeks with rib injuries Charles Riechelmann is the only forward, apart from Dowd, past the half-century.

In comparison, three backs given to flashes of real brilliance - Orene Aii, Amasio Valence and Malili Muliaina - and three forwards, Steven Bates (replacing Carter), James Christian and Keven Mealamu, are in the 20-22 age bracket.

Spencer will have first option as first five-eighths while Aii could serve as a wing and back-up goal-kicker and fullback if Cashmore does not make his last Auckland season as profitable as those in his recent past.

It will be Pivac's stirring of these selection mixtures which could ultimately decide how Auckland start the new decade in pursuit of the six NPC titles they won in each of the 80s and 90s, when John Hart started and Maurice Trapp continued Auckland's imperial reign.

Which dashing youngsters will Pivac harness alongside the Cashmore-Innes-Spencer backline troika? Will Paul Thomson pick up form after injury as captain and prop, with Dowd and Nick White as lieutenants? Will a tall young man Tom Curtis become the king of the Auckland lineout, and which three of Carter, Andrew Blowers, Finau Maka, Dylan Mika, Bates and Xavier Rush, will give Auckland decisive power in the loose forwards? Will Auckland be fun to watch? Yes. Will Auckland win the NPC?

Ask the tight forwards.