KEY POINTS:
Taranaki is feeling in rude rugby health today as they await the All Blacks first test appearance in the province while their Waikato neighbours are feeling a shade piqued.
When this season's swiss cheese Tri-Nations schedule was unveiled, the All Blacks searched for matches to carry them through
the major gaps in their itinerary like that between their last test against the Springboks and this month's series decider against the Wallabies in Brisbane.
The New Zealand Rugby Union settled on today as the best date for an extra test and Samoa agreed to be the victim even though the bulk of their senior test players were unavailable because they were contract-bound to clubs in Europe.
As negotiations continued about an appropriate venue and it became clear the NZRU would not waver in their midweek date, New Plymouth eased to the top of the favourites' pile. Waikato Stadium had long been booked for a health industry conference and the arrangement could not be unpicked.
Waikato made a counter offer for a spectacular double-header on Sunday with the test to follow the province's NPC game against Counties-Manukau but that proposal did not quite gel with the All Blacks' needs.
So as the blood-pressure increased very close to the Hamilton health seminar, Taranaki hugged itself with delight that finally the All Blacks would play a test inside the amber and black corridors. Almost 120 years after the union was founded, the All Blacks would finally play a test, under lights, at a ground now known as Yarrow Stadium.
Perhaps appropriately, Samoa will be the foes as they were involved in the first and only test at the park several years ago when they played Japan in the Pacific Nations Cup.
While some of the famous provincial figures who have worn the national black - men such as Graham Mourie, Kevin Briscoe, Kieran Crowley and Mark Allen - will not be at the match, others like Peter Burke, Ross Brown, Ian Eliason, Neil Wolfe and Dave Loveridge will be part of the national guard of honour to welcome the teams on to the field.
A capacity 22,000 crowd will watch the test at a ground which has a splendid boutique feel and a great surface since it was upgraded a few years back for about $20 million.
Many touring teams have played on the park and there have been a myriad of colourful stories, like 1990 when conditions and the visibility were so bad that prop Ewen McKenzie tackled his touring Wallaby teammate and captain Nick Farr-Jones.
Australian referee Stu Dickinson will control tonight's test where the accent will be on All Black standards and performance rather than totting up their victory margin which could be anywhere between 50-100.
This is a night for Taranaki to celebrate, for the All Blacks to perform so a wise, honest appraisal can be made and for New Plymouth and the host side to acknowledge the part Samoa played in creating this historic event.
This international should deliver about $200,000 into the provincial coffers, some serious coin into the local hospitality industry and offer a strong connecting historical thread to more than 70 players from the province who have worn the All Black jersey.
