KEY POINTS:
After failing to fire a shot in last Sunday's loss to Counties Manukau, Auckland will be hoping the lustre of the Ranfurly Shield sparks them into life against Taranaki tomorrow.
If it doesn't, they face the very real prospect of bidding farewell to the trophy they won in such fine style against Canterbury in Christchurch last season.
If it were a simple matter of recapturing lost form, Auckland would still be strongly favoured to repel the rugged men from the foot of the mountain.
But Auckland's biggest problem is that many of the players charged with doing just that have never really had any form to speak of. With just seven of the 22 who lifted the Shield back to defend it tonight, this Auckland team's pedigree is very much an unknown.
Gone from the starting 15 are Brent Ward, Sam Tuitupou, Isa Nacewa, Jerome Kaino and Troy Flavell _ players whose names conjure images of Auckland in their pomp.
The only images conjured by their replacements are of blue and white shirts being danced around by jubilant, victorious Counties players.
Coach Pat Lam wasn't required to do much repair work last season as Auckland sailed serenely through an undefeated campaign but this week he faced a major salvage operation.
"Obviously everyone was pretty disappointed with last Sunday's game and we know we let ourselves and the team down," he said.
"So there has been a real focus at training to put that right. We know we didn't fire a shot at all against Counties Manukau, and with the Ranfurly Shield on the line, we have worked to put that right."
Auckland are without fullback Isaia Toeava, one of the few to make a positive impression against Counties, after he was called up to the All Blacks' team travelling to South Africa.
Lam has named Jamie Helleur as his replacement.
"Of course we are going to miss him, but our first priority is to get as many players into the All Blacks as we can, so we are happy for him."
Auckland may still be an unknown quantity but Taranaki shouldn't hold too many secrets.
With All Blacks discard Jason Eaton switching from lock to blindside and the pacey Scott Waldrom on the openside, the challengers should have a real presence at the breakdown.
There is also a dependable and, given Taranaki's less than stellar reputation for ambitious backline play, curiously threatening look to their back three. Fullback Asalemo Malo and wingers Paul Perez and Shayne Austin are proven performers at national championship level.
Auckland's David Smith would also fit into that bracket but the same can't be said of Helleur and Jarek Goebel.
The match should also pose an interesting match-up at first five-eighths, with Auckland's Lachie Munro and Taranaki's Willie Ripia hoping to be the playmakers of the future for the Blues and Hurricanes respectively.
Ripia has already been blooded at Super Rugby level, while Munro was passed over for a contract this year.
Auckland may go into the game strong favourites with bookies, but the odds seem to be based on historical factors that may well no longer apply.
Auckland, though, will certainly be hoping history counts for something.
