She'll be right on Lions night, says Lam

Auckland's Jerome Kaino breaks from the base of the scrum against Counties Manukau at Pukekohe yesterday. Picture / Paul Estcourt

Auckland 51 Counties Manukau 20

Auckland coach Pat Lam is banking on an "it-will-be-all-right-on-the-night" approach as the blue and whites prepare to face the Lions.

Auckland will almost certainly be without captain Xavier Rush on Tuesday, who has glandular fever, but a couple of veterans are in contention, if only for the reserves.

Lam names his side tomorrow and will have just two training runs before the match.

Junior All Black and national colt commitments have further disrupted his plans, and prop Saimone Taumoepeau and wing Joe Rokocoko were still missing from the Auckland side who beat Counties Manukau at Pukekohe yesterday.

Lam rolled back the years with former All Black backs Eroni Clarke and Junior Tonu'u in yesterday's 33-man squad, which easily won a scrappy match in front of a crowd of about 400 at Growers Stadium.

"Everyone who played is in contention. The game was a bit of a trial," Lam said about Clarke's and Tonu'u's Lions prospects, although Clarke suffered a hamstring twinge.

"Everyone is very excited about facing the Lions and that will help make up for the lack of preparation."

The Auckland side included Jay Williams, the younger brother of All Black first test starter Ali.

Auckland, captained by Angus Macdonald, started with a host of unheralded players, but were never tested by Counties Manukau.

They rolled on some of their bigger names in the final stages.

Wing Tony Koonwaiyou notched five tries and the winning margin would have been much higher but for some very average goalkicking.

Counties Manukau did not start with a top side, with Super 12 revelation Niva Ta'auso on the bench.

Taumoepeau and Rokocoko will be home on Saturday following the Junior All Blacks' game against Australia A in Sydney tomorrow. Lam said it "wasn't looking good" for Rush, but he would be fit for the NPC.

Auckland chief executive David White said there were still a few hundred tickets left for the Lions match.