Auckland's talent shows in Ranfurly Shield win

By CHRIS RATTUE

Auckland rugby may be sponsored by a casino, but the union is taking no gambles when it comes to the touchy subject of loaning players to rival provinces.

The Auckland juggernaut rolled on with a brilliant Ranfurly Shield demolition of Counties Manukau yesterday.

They scored 16 tries in the win over their second-division opponents who had given themselves a starter's chance and were left shocked by the scoreline.

Counties Manukau have never held the shield, and they were given no hope yesterday even though co-coach Mark Carter made the "starter's chance" comment during the week.

The professional era has made it tough for the smaller unions to compete at this level, but you still had to admire the talent Auckland showcased before a 6000-strong crowd at Eden Park.

They were led by the rampaging Sione Lauaki, surely an All Black in waiting, and fellow loose forward Mose Tuiali'i. They were backed by a posse of dynamic footballers whose main opposition may be each other at times.

Many of them powered through and around their Counties Manukau opponents with an ease that will be missing when they go hunting for game time during the NPC season.

Coach Pat Lam has left the door open for All Blacks to opt out of the NPC, but there are likely to be few takers - adding to the bottleneck.

The loose forward stocks, in particular, are an embarrassment of riches. All Black No 8 Xavier Rush is established at the centre of title-winning Auckland and Blues sides, and another Auckland icon, Justin Collins, could come back into the frame - following heart surgery - midway through the competition.

Add in the names of Lauaki, Tuiali'i, Daniel Braid, Jerome Kaino and high-class utilities Bradley Mika and Angus Macdonald - and you have an A-grade logjam. Even yesterday's captain, Charles Riechelmann, who feels more comfortable at lock, where his career started, would like to have a crack at blindside flanker, although he realises his chances may be slim.

Auckland do not have such riches in all departments, but there is clearly scope to loan players to other provinces.

However, their good humour on this score took a dramatic turn for the worse three years ago when Aucklander-on-loan James Arlidge kicked a goal for Northland to defeat the blue-and-whites.

Rumours suggest Northland believe Tuiali'i will return to them after their round-two clash against Auckland this season, but Lam was adamant that this was not the case.

He said his phone had been "ringing hot" from provinces around the country, and he would judge each request on a case-by-case basis.

But for now, none of the players who figured in the shield romps over Poverty Bay and Counties Manukau was being loaned.

"At this stage I don't have to make that call," said Lam.

"People say we have a lot of depth but that's only because we've given all those players a chance."

Riechelmann, playing his first game for Auckland since returning from Japan, described the talent around Auckland as "daunting ... quite scary".

The scariest of them all yesterday was probably Lauaki, who was in doubt through the week with a hamstring injury.

On the issue of the loaning of players, Counties Manukau co-coach Gary Millington said the recent competition review contained steps, including the salary cap, that would help to spread the talent.

Counties Manukau's prime focus is to regain first-division status, and they have formed a partnership with Fiji to bolster their chances.

But Millington said the union was aiming to build itself back up by creating a culture from within, rather than relying on imports.

Auckland 100 - Counties Manukau 15