Rugby: Downcast Auks manage positive spin

By Wynne Gray

All the pain and frustration is still with the Auckland rugby team, but so is a certainty they will give the NPC title a real shake this season.

The 10-12 Friday night loss to Canterbury will hurt the side all week until they return south for Saturday's round-six meeting with Otago. They know it was a game they let slip, a match they should have won until Daryl Lilley knocked over his injury-time drop goal.

There will be countless calls from all directions for video referees after referee Colin Hawke was unable to spot Caleb Ralph's touchdown, but Auckland coach Wayne Pivac will not join that chorus. Nor will he fire out excuses for the defeat.

Auckland had to be better than their last game, they had to learn and then attack Otago with greater discipline and concentration.

"We wanted to know how far we had come this season and I think that game showed we can compete with any side this season," said Pivac.

"The game confirmed that we have a good side, but we have to pay better attention to some of the details of our play."

Top of the attention list was reducing the high penalty count, which had the twin effect of punishing Auckland and allowing Canterbury to keep in contact.

"We got a little anxious there. We were keen to do a lot of defensive work round the fringes but we got a bit too excited. We cannot complain about those decisions," said Pivac.

Nor were there gripes about missing out on Ralph's try.

"They have the video ref in rugby league, but it seems to get to the stage where a referee does not want to make any decision, he just goes to the video.

"I can only recall a couple of times when things have happened in rugby and it has really turned a game and I am yet to be convinced of the value of the video ref. There would be many issues to work through like needing them at every game and then deciding when they could be used.

"I have no grumbles about Colin Hawke, he is impartial and it is very easy to have a go at him about his decisions when we have all had several looks at replays."

The evening started and ended poorly for Auckland.

Lock Charles Riechelmann reinjured his ribs in the warmup to be replaced by the impressive Dean Bassett, before Lilley sent the locals into delirium with his late winning kick.

Other worries this week will involve medical checks on Riechelmann, Mark Carter (ankle) and captain Paul Thomson, who damaged his shoulder.