KEY POINTS:
For once, Auckland coach Pat Lam can look forward to a week where he won't have to answer questions about how he is keeping his players motivated.
Auckland have cruised through the first nine rounds of the national championship, dropping just one point of the 45 available to
them this season.
Lam has done a great job keeping the looming prospect of a genuine contest against Canterbury for the Ranfurly Shield corralled in the back of his players' minds but, on Friday night against Otago, the beast slipped out.
The result was ugly.
"It was probably our worst performance of the year," Lam said of the 34-21 victory.
"I was very disappointed. If we play like that we have got no show [against Canterbury].
"No matter how much we try to play it down, family members, every person I walk into is talking about next week. So that probably played a part, but the real thing was that we didn't front up collectively as a team.
"The only positives were that we didn't pick up any more injuries and we got our five points. Besides that, there was not too much else that was very good."
Leaving aside David Smith's two fine tries, the coach is probably spot on.
Tasesa Lavea's comeback at first five-eighths was underwhelming. In fairness to Lavea, who had not played at all this season, it was always going to be a massive ask to expect him to slot seamlessly back into the side.
But, having recalled his veteran playmaker, Lam now finds himself on the horns of a dilemma ahead of Saturday's trip to Christchurch.
Does he persist with the experienced Lavea at first five-eighths, revert to the possibly reluctant but entirely useful Isa Nacewa, or take a punt on emerging young star Lachie Munro?
Nacewa would seem to be the safe option. His partnership with halfback Taniela Moa was just starting to blossom when an injury to centre Ben Atiga forced a backline reshuffle that sent Nacewa to the wing and gave Munro his chance.
Munro initially took that chance admirably but wasn't at his best last week against Tasman. His threat as a try scorer from the bench, however, was once again underlined by his late effort against Otago on Friday night.
With no form under his belt to speak of, Lavea's best chance of getting the nod would appear to be through a rather large dose of faith and loyalty to his senior players on the part of Lam.
Elsewhere, Lam doesn't seem to have too many selection posers.
Injured opensides Daniel Braid and Onosai' Tololima Auva'a are expected to be out, but if they aren't, Jerome Kaino did enough against Otago to suggest he can handle the role.
Meanwhile, Harbour kept their playoff hopes alive with a solid victory over Bay of Plenty on Saturday night. Harbour's attack has been stilted this year but they finally broke out with six tries against the lowly Steamers.
To clinch a finals berth they will need to beat high-flying Southland - who have won five in a row - at Albany on Friday night and hope other results go their way.
