Rugby: Anscombe gives Toeava some space

Isaia Toeava of the Blues. Photo / Supplied

Auckland coach Mark Anscombe has moved to take some of the pressure off World Cup hopeful Isaia Toeava as he prepares for his long-awaited return to rugby in tomorrow's ITM Cup clash against Taranaki in New Plymouth.

Toeava has been named on the bench at the request of All Blacks' management, whom he had been working with in Wellington up until Thursday.

It will be his first hit-out since suffering a flare up of an old hip injury mid-way through the Blues campaign in April.

The aim is to get Toeava on the paddock for 40 minutes this weekend and build up to a full game against North Harbour next Sunday.

Toeava was one of the form backs of the Super Rugby competition before disaster struck and certainly the Blues backline did not have the same bite to it once the 25-year-old utility was placed on the injury list.

But Anscombe said those hoping Toeava will simply pick up where he left off 14 weeks ago need to temper their expectations.

"I think we have to be patient about what we expect from him.

"Three and half months is a long time without rugby to expect him to come back and carve up. Hopefully he can get through 40 minutes and that will be good for him," he said.

While Anscombe is warning not to expect any miracles, the reality is it will take a couple of strong and assured performances from Toeava to warrant the All Black selectors putting him on a plane to South Africa in two weeks' time.

Despite his injury struggles this season, Toeava, who finished the 2010 season as the incumbent wing, was named in the 30-man All Blacks squad by coach Graham Henry after making promising progress with his rehabilitation.

Toeava will need to get up to speed just as quickly on the field if he is to join the All Blacks for their return Tri-Nations match against South Africa.

But he said the national selectors have told him little about what they hope to see from him this weekend.

"They haven't said much, they just told me to come back and get some footy under my belt," said Toeava.

"I just need to take small steps and make sure I do the basics right."

Tomorrow's game marks the start of a tricky period for Auckland, who will play four games over the next 11 days.

But they are approaching the task in a better head-space after notching up their first win of the competition last weekend, scraping past Wellington 21-17.

Anscombe said his side will need to show the same sort of desperation against Taranaki tomorrow.

"The boys showed a bit of character in that game and we fought it out at the end. It's a starting point and we have to make sure we go on with it on Sunday," he said.

"Taranaki have been a bit of a bogey team over the years - they'll be looking to get stuck in to us."

Auckland have made just one change to their starting lineup from the side that beat Wellington last Saturday, returning Chris Lowrey to lock for Josh Townsend. Hooker Tom McCartney will once again captain the side as regular skipper Daniel Braid continues to recover from damage to his eye-socket.

Taranaki v Auckland
New Plymouth, 2.35pm tomorrow

Kurt Baker
Andre Taylor
George Pisi
Jayden Hayward
Jackson Ormond
Beauden Barrett
Tyson Keats
Ben Souness
Scott Waldrom
Chris Walker
Craig Clarke
Jason Eaton
Shane Cleaver
Laurence Corlett
Michael Bent

Reserves: Mahonri Schwalger, Carl Carmichael, James Broadhurst, Blade Thomson, Brett Goodin, J Cameron, Isaia Tuifua, Timo Tutavaha.

Brent Ward
Joe Rokocoko
Hadleigh Parkes
Francis Saili
Charles Piutau
Gareth Anscombe
Alby Mathewson
Peter Saili
Sean Polwart
Nathan Hughes
Chris Lowrey
Steven Luatua
Charlie Faumuina
Tom McCartney (c)
Tevita Mailau

Reserves: Ash Dixon, Pauliasi Manu, Richard Haddon, Onosa'i Auva'a, Toby Morland, Francis Piers, Isaia Toeava, Angus Ta'avao.