Clarke's smile as wide as the harbour bridge

By WYNNE GRAY

A 43-7 victory against North Harbour was just the way to celebrate Eroni Clarke's 150th match for Auckland - and to ease the coaching staff's trip to the media conference.

A fortnight ago it was very different. Coach Wayne Pivac was a worried person and captain Xavier Rush's thoughts were x-rated after an opening NPC surrender to Taranaki.

They fronted, but with uneasy emotions. They had blown a match they should have won and they had to accept the criticism.

But successive wins against franchise rivals Northland and North Harbour have brought a new demeanour and a new man to the top table. Pivac was there, but instead of the skipper, Clarke and his Harbour Bridge-wide smile came to soak up his special moment.

When Harbour coach Russell Jones attended, he came alone, his captain, Mark Robinson, still feeling the effects of being knocked out 10 minutes into the game.

Jones placed a video beside him, a copy of the game which contained some of the x-rated errors his young side made as they tried to contain the free-wheeling Auckland backline.

Losing Robinson so early had carved into much of the side's plans about running short lineouts. His absence, and the loss of Mark Mayerhofler soon after halftime, had made a huge impact on the side's defensive patterns.

Until halftime, they had held on, but the concession of five tries after the break showed the difference.

Robinson had been knocked out when his head did not cope well with Iliesa Tanivula's knee, while Mayerhofler, who had spent much of match day in bed with the flu, gave a gallant 50 minutes before his engine expired.

Clarke's just kept ticking on, and his maker and injuries willing, he is thinking of one more season yet.

There was no try for the seasoned centre, nor a final-minute conversion when he was offered the kick from the sideline. And he was glad about that.

When former Auckland mates such as Michael Jones, Robin Brooke and Charles Riechelmann kicked conversions, they left the union. "Had I got it, I might be off, too."

Clarke, his contemporaries and younger team-mates wanted to bathe in the beauty of a decent win. Playing NPC rugby was all about preparing for a result; about achieving wins.

"I love the competition.

"I love the one-on-ones, I love being out there and beating guys and putting your own ability and talents against the opposition - not just as an individual, but as a team, collectively."

Saturday was Auckland's day and Clarke's moment.