Playing on personal ambition in semis

Junior Poluleuligaga has been a good example of a player who has got better as the competition has progressed. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

A coach's first instinct at times like this might be to tell his players to forget the imminent handing out of Super 14 contracts. That those thoughts may cloud their work in this weekend's NPC semifinals.

Those coaches do not include North Harbour's Allan Pollock, who wants his players to use the spur of a Blues spot in next year's enlarged Tri-Nations competition tomorrow night at Eden Park.

Mention the Blues and Harbour in the same breath near hardcore Harbour supporters and you're likely to wear a serious spray. Auckland-dominated Blues squads have long been a source of discontent for the union as it celebrates its 20th year of NPC life. But Pollock's assistant, Mark Anscombe, has a good perspective on this.

"In the past, Harbour have bemoaned the fact we don't get a fair representation," he said. "But you've been coming sixth, seventh or eighth compared with a team [Auckland] that's been winning the title. You've got to start putting performances on the board before you start to grizzle. Then you can force your way into teams."

With the unions squaring off in the semifinals, tomorrow night will offer a fascinating comparison of players. The semifinal alone won't decide who Blues coach David Nucifora picks, but it won't hurt.

Take Junior Poluleuligaga. The Harbour halfback has been a good example of a player who has got better as the competition has progressed. He was plucked out of club rugby by Pollock on the basis that he was the top No 9 in the Harbour competition and deserved a crack.

Poluleuligaga was a Blues development and Auckland Colts squad member, before being told he was not wanted for 2003. He took it hard, went to Sydney for a year, returned and headed to Harbour.

Tomorrow night he will be up against Steve Devine, who is a certainty for the Blues. The other candidate in the mix is David Gibson, who had neck surgery during the Super 12 and hasn't kicked a ball for six months.

A strong game against Devine can only help 23-year-old Poluleuligaga's case. He praises the strong-performing Harbour pack for helping his game during the competition.

"They're giving me more time and helping me make the right decisions," Poluleuligaga said. "They've given me good protection, and my decision-making and delivery and distribution of the ball is improving."

He hasn't forgotten the Auckland snub. It's not the first thing he ponders when he wakes up, but it won't hurt as he looks for motivation tomorrow night.

"It's a little personal incentive, not in a bad way, but I still feel a bit gutted."

Pollock admits he's got a kick out of Poluleuligaga's form, which could be seen as a vindication of his decision to give the former national secondary schools representative a break ahead of others with Super 12 experience.

"Those moments are special in any coach's life," Pollock said. "He's had none of the natural advantages. He's come from a diet of club rugby, and he is making mistakes on the NPC field, absolutely.

"But you look at the potential of what he could achieve in a professional rugby environment. We haven't had even a glimpse of what he could achieve if someone (ie, a Super 14 coach) is prepared to make that investment in him."

Pollock pointed out that five New Zealand franchises equals 10 halfbacks, so even if Nucifora prefers Devine and Gibson, he should be snapped up elsewhere in the draft. He sees part of his job as promoting Harbour players into the Super 14. The bottom line is somewhere, anywhere will do.

"We're quite open about it. By performing as individuals we help each other collectively and for Junior it will be a focus for him to play well against Steve Devine, and we'd encourage him to do that. And that will force some other coaches to consider their halfback options.

"Now, is someone going to tell me Junior is not in the top 10 halfbacks in New Zealand? Because that's what they're saying if he doesn't pick up a contract. And that doesn't make sense."

THREE HARBOUR SUPER 14 BOLTERS?

* Tighthead prop Mike Noble has been an ever-present rock in the impressive Harbour scrum this season. He's a big man at about 130kg and perhaps not a household name. But the Blues will need four props and, after John Afoa, he's next best No 3 in the franchise.

* Anthony Boric could be a real bolter. The 2m tall blindside flanker forced his way in midway through the campaign, had good statistics in important areas and gives Harbour a strong back-of-the-lineout presence. Maybe not the Blues, and might be taken on trust, but the 21-year-old has a bright future.

* Honest grafter, Tonto to Greg Rawlinson's Lone Ranger, Marty Veale does a pile of the unseen work. Every pack needs one of them, and Veale has a nice hard edge to his game. He'll never be a glitzy five star performer, unlikely to make the Blues, but is sure to be given a hard look by other franchise coaches.