Rugby: Deans looking for Super 12-style NPC win

One thing that irks Canterbury coach Robbie Deans is that the Crusaders' success in the Super 12 has not translated into the NPC rugby arena.

It is the stone left unturned, the one goal left for Deans in his final year as NPC coach.

A perfectionist by nature, Deans prefers performance on the field to talk, and he has a strong desire to win the 2000 competition, which starts tonight.

The Crusaders won their third consecutive Super 12 this year, with Deans as coach. Wayne Smith coached and Deans was manager for the two previous wins.

But Canterbury did not even make the NPC semifinals last year and have under-achieved in the past two years when compared with the Crusaders' success.

There was no hangover from the Crusaders' campaign, rather a need to pace themselves better and improve as the competition went on, Deans said.

In spite of his self-effacing nature, Deans is aware that Canterbury, with 10 All Blacks this year - three playing tonight and one on the bench - have to start as favourites, well ahead of defending champions Auckland.

Not having won the NPC over the last two years has been a bugbear.

"I'm keen to do it, because the last couple of years have been frustrating," Deans said.

"We didn't manage the fatigue factor well in 98 and last year we were without our All Blacks, so this year we want to give the NPC a good crack."

The NPC should be given priority and special treatment, no matter who won, Deans said.

"It is an essential part of our rugby and it must be kept that way.

"There is no doubt that our domestic competition is the reason why we are consistently competitive internationally and it is important that it stays that way."

The biggest threat to Canterbury's favoured status is likely to come from last year's beaten finalists and tonight's opponents, Wellington.

While their pre-season form has been poor, Graham Mourie has handed Dave Rennie a bagful of riches.

Barring injury, tonight's match could prove to be a rehearsal for the final game of the season.

But the home side will go into their opener without Alama Ieremia, Tana Umaga, Jonah Lomu and Christian Cullen, and could well struggle.

Their build-up has included a 10-46 loss to Taranaki.

"It was a shocker but, with a few more games, the team are starting to gel a bit," said winger Elvis Seveali'i.

"I've got belief in the side - it's really talented. I've got no doubt we're going to be all right."

And, indeed, Wellington looked much better and brighter in all aspects at training on Tuesday night.

Generally, they all seemed much sharper, with the scrum and lineout work particularly impressive.

- NZPA