Wellington v Auckland
Wellington, 6.35pm today
Onosai Auva'a can still feel the pain of events at Eden Park a year ago when Wellington cleaned out Auckland to take the Ranfurly Shield back to the capital for the first time in 26 years.
It might have had something to do with the final scoreline, 27-0, Wellington's largest winning margin over Auckland in 24 shield contests.
Or it might simply have been the anguish of defeat which left its mark on the amiable Auckland flanker.
Either way, Auva'a aims to make it work to his and his team's advantage when Auckland attempt to wrest the famous old shield back today.
"Things that happen like that can inspire us to be better players," he said.
"I'm going to use it as motivation because I know how upset I was and I want to reverse that this time.
"And when the going gets tough out there I'll remember how I felt last year and hopefully that will get me through."
Auva'a is an intelligent young man, 24, and with over 30 games for Auckland behind him. In the absence of All Black flanker Jerome Kaino and injured hooker Keven Mealamu, he appeals as the forward the less experienced pack men will turn to if things get tight, or if they look like going pear-shaped.
He said there was no magic bullet to prescribe to the young players, either those having a first taste of shield rugby or others like first five-eighth Ash Moeke, who was part of an Auckland team which wolfed down second helpings en route to a 113-3 defence against North Otago in Oamaru last year, but has yet to experience the real crunch of a big shield contest.
"For me it's just play the best you can. I know it's a bit of a cliche, but if you do then it's going to uplift the whole team," he said.
Then Auva'a thought a moment and added one other point, more emotive than pragmatic but no less useful for that.
"Just remember what it was like seeing it on TV and watching the old guys playing and saying 'I want to be there one day'. Because this is the now and this is what you're playing for. Remember, because now we're making our own history."
Thirteen of Auckland's 22 today were involved in last year's match; Wellington have 10, although they include wing David Smith, who was in blue and white last year.
In fact it is a two-for-one deal for Auckland: win it and they regain the shield, and all the emotional elements that entails, and they'll also bag important championship points. Lose, and the reverse applies.
WELLINGTON v AUCKLAND
Wellington
Buxton Popoali'i
David Smith
Robert Fruean
Charlie Ngatai
Hosea Gear
Fa'atonu Fili
Alby Mathewson
Victor Vito
Serge Lilo
Mark Reddish
Daniel Ramsay
Jeremy Thrush
John Schwalger
Dane Coles
Jacob Ellison (c)
Reserves: Ged Robinson, Neemia Tialata, Mathew Luamanu, Scott Fuglistaller, Ruki Tipuna, Daniel Kirkpatrick, Alapati Leuia.
Auckland
Isaia Toeava
Paul Williams
Winston Stanley
Benson Stanley (c)
Dave Thomas
Ash Moeke
Grayson Hart
Peter Saili
Onosai Auva'a
Dean Budd
Jay Williams
Kurtis Haiu
Tevita Mailau
Tom McCartney
Paea Fa'anunu
Reserves: Francis Smith, Charlie Faumuina, Andrew van der Heijden, Hamish Paterson, Taniela Moa, Daniel Bowden, Jamie Helleur.
CITY RIVALRY
* Auckland and Wellington have played 24 games for the Ranfurly Shield, starting in 1904, with Auckland having won 14 of the matches, Wellington nine and one drawn.
* Seven of the 24 have been played in Wellington, with Auckland challenging - 1905, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1953, 1956 and 1974.
* Wellington have lifted the shield off Auckland three times; Auckland have gone south and won it just twice - 1905 and 1974.
* Auckland's biggest shield win over Wellington was the 51-14 defence at Eden Park in 1993, the 500th shield match. It was the 61st and final defence in Auckland's record run; they lost to Waikato a week later.
* Wellington's biggest winning margin came last year, the 27-0 beating at Eden Park, the first time Auckland had been scoreless since the ground opened. It was also the second biggest defeat to nil by any shield holder after Auckland's 35-0 win over Canterbury in 1995.
