Rugby: Burly Burleigh's focus turns to his bark

Phil Burleigh has a kick like a vat full of moonshine and he can pass like a turbo-charged Porsche.
It's the 23-year-old's mouth that needs to fire tomorrow, however, as the Steamers line up their first home game of the ITM Cup season against Auckland.
Burleigh will start at first-five for the third-round match, replacing Dan Waenga, knowing  communication will be the key to getting his backs firing.
"The way the game is going this year, playing first-five means a bit more organising and a bit less tactical kicking," Burleigh said.
"I'm probably not a natural yapper though - I played halfback from third form through to seventh form but I probably wasn't one of the loudest halfbacks around. I'm used to playing 12 and helping out the first-five, but becoming more demanding is something I have to do."
Burleigh is one of three changes to the starting XV from last week's 30-11 pasting of Hawke's Bay, with Lelia Masaga making his run-on debut at wing and Luke Braid slotting back into blindside for the injured Solomon King.
Luckily for the rookie pivot, there's a heap of noise either side of him in second-five Grant McQuoid and halfback Taniela Moa.
Moa was dumped by Auckland this season and only found late salvation with the Steamers.
He's quickly become a special project of fitness trainer Murray Pederson and growing in confidence ahead of tomorrow's match.
"Muzza has been giving me a few extras - he's got me biking and rowing in the gym - which is getting me up to speed quickly," Moa said.
"I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's match because I've never played against most of those guys before; just with them. I'm up for the challenge though."
Auckland coach Mark Anscombe made just one change to his ranks after their last-minute loss to Waikato last week, with Dave Thomas replacing injured wing Chay Raui.
Anscombe will be hoping his decision to overlook Moa - who played 54 games for Auckland - doesn't come back to haunt him.
"He's had a good career in Auckland and we know his strengths," Anscombe said. "He's a good player and a good acquisition for Bay of Plenty but sometimes guys just need to get away from an environment where they're getting stale or stagnant. Maybe it will be exactly what he needs."
Auckland are green around the fringes but wizened at the core.
 Five players - Daniel Braid, Ben Atiga, Brent Ward, Kurtis Haiu and Andrew Van Der Heijden - have more than 340 provincial caps between them.
Add in the 43 games from his opposite first-five Matt Berquist and Burleigh is adamant there will be nothing flighty about the visitors. "The guys in key positions like Braid and Ward and Berquist are very experienced, along with someone like  [halfback] Toby Moreland. They're doing all the playmaking, which helps the younger guys out. There's plenty of talent there though and they'll be a step up from Hawke's Bay."
Anscombe, meanwhile, is as happy as anyone to sit back and watch the battle within the battle between the two Braid siblings, Auckland's Daniel and Bay of Plenty's Luke. "Dan's been around and we know his qualities but Luke's certainly one of the most promising flankers coming around on the scene.