Tuitupou ready to return for Auckland

By WYNNE GRAY

The sight of Sam Tuitupou completing a series of clap press-ups convinced Auckland coach Wayne Pivac his midfielder was ready to return to NPC action.

When Tuitupu also finished several testing defensive sessions he knew his shoulder was strong enough to face Taranaki in New Plymouth on Saturday.

"He has been consistently checked out and we have worked him in contact and he is fit," Pivac said.

Tuitupou suffered the injury to his right shoulder blade against franchise rivals North Harbour, missed the following game against Wellington and almost made a recovery for Waikato last week.

"His injury is not common in rugby," team doctor Graham Paterson said yesterday.

"He has an undisplaced fracture of the scapula.

"But he is pain-free now, we have loaded him up with contact work and his shoulder exhibits its normal capacity," he said.

Paterson likened the damage to having a crack in a cup which still held liquid and did not leak.

"He is unlikely to get in any further trouble and we do not foresee any," Paterson said.

Several years ago Tuitupou suffered a similar injury to his other shoulder and played soon afterwards without suffering any repercussions.

Tuitupou's return should help arrest some of the backline foibles seen in Auckland's last two matches.

Any thoughts the selectors may have had of trying Tasesa Lavea at first five eighths disappeared when he aggravated a corked thigh problem.

He could not even make the bench.

The other change to the team is in the looseforward arrangement where Craig de Goldi is picked on the openside with Justin Collins swapping back to his more favoured blindside flanker position.

That decision relegates Sione Lauaki to the reserves after an impressive start against Waikato.

"We wanted to inject a bit more pace with de Goldi. And Collins makes plenty of tackles without missing, he is very accurate and experienced and we will need that in this game," Pivac said.

"This is a must-win game for both teams. Bay of Plenty did not do us any favours beating Taranaki last week.

"If we drop this game we will have to rely on a whole lot of other results so it is a very pivotal game," he said.

Auckland: Ben Atiga, Iliesa Tanivula, Tane Tuipulotu, Sam Tuitupou, Brent Ward, Orene Ai'i, David Gibson, Xavier Rush, Craig de Goldi, Justin Collins, Angus Macdonald, Bryce Williams, John Afoa, Derren Witcombe, Nick White. Reserves: Natahan Kemp, Soane Tonga'uiha, Bradley Mika, Sione Lauaki, Craig McGrath, Shannon Paku, Isa Nacewa.