Rugby: Cantabs hold the key to success

By WYNNE GRAY

For ages, Canterbury faced all the rugby challenges. Somehow, they had to discover the secret to beating their greatest rival Auckland, who were chockful of All Blacks.

They began to break the barrier in 1997, and at Eden Park tonight Canterbury must be favoured to continue that trend.

They have lost only one of their last five meetings with Auckland, they have the bulk of the national rugby team, and they fill the Crusaders who have a mortgage on the Super 12 with a remarkable hat-trick of victories.

Round four of the NPC starts with Auckland against the All Blacks.

Canterbury have already had two wins and now - at full strength - they have to be the first division favourites.

All the demands will be on Auckland. How can they break the red and black pattern?

"I don't think we will be surprised too much about how Canterbury play this game,"Auckland coach Wayne Pivac said.

"They have their patterns, a style they have developed to a high level, and it has been a winning formula.

"This game will be all about how we construct our work, what we manage to do."

Pivac rated his side's final training as their best of the season, a natural reaction to the demands of this clash and the standards his side had to reach if they wanted their fourth straight victory tonight.

Blindside flanker Dylan Mika was a late withdrawal for Auckland because of the flu.

That change had been telegraphed for most of the week, but there was a mystery about the Auckland squad which suggested they were set for an evening of innovation.

Whether they are allowed to implement any plans will be another matter. They could make some player switches to cover for Mika's absence which will reduce their lineout choices.

If any of these changes eventuate, they are unlikely to faze Canterbury who have embellished their recent reputation as a clinical side.



Finding any fragility will be a struggle for Auckland, who must hope for a slight hiccup in combinations among the nine All Blacks in the starting XV.

Where do the defending NPC champions look to create some pressure?

It has to be at the hinge of Justin Marshall and Andrew Mehrtens, the pair who control much of Canterbury's play.

The visitors should come to Eden Park believing they have an edge in the scrum, and more lineout avenues than Auckland.

Then it will be down to their attacking judgment, organised by Mehrtens.

Expect Canterbury to play a steady-as-it-goes game from the start, looking for territory and some penalty goals to set their platform.

If Auckland are to strike, Carlos Spencer will have to unravel his extraordinary talents in a precise rather than potluck manner.

This may appear to be Auckland against the All Blacks, but with the national selection slate being reset, it is Auckland against Canterbury, with everyone's reputation up for inspection.