Countdown to club rugby kick-off

Auckland

Auckland's top rugby clubs will be relying on their depth of talent far more than previously due to the expanded national provincial competition which starts on July 28.

This much earlier than usual start to the NPC will mean that these clubs will lose their best players to the Auckland rep side for the most important part of the club season including the Gallaher Shield semi-finals and final.

Ponsonby won the coveted Gallaher Shield again last season in a dramatic final against Waitakere City.

However, they have lost many of last year's championship winning side, including captain Gavin Williams who is playing in Ireland.

Also missing will be prop Daniel Muller, now playing for the Cats in the Super 14 competition, fellow props Matt Toli and Alfred Beetham, hooker Jon Meredith, flanker Joe Kolokihakaufisi, No 8 Sam Anania and fullback Chay Raui.

Benson Stanley, nephew of former All Black centre Joe Stanley, is expected to take over the Ponies' captaincy playing at second five-eighth - while Grant Keenan will again coach.

Waitakere City has also lost many of its premier squad members from last season but former All Blacks Ofisa 'Junior' Tonu'u and Eroni Clarke will give the west Aucklanders an abundance of backline experience.

The Auckland premier club competition starts next Saturday.

North Harbour

After years battling the odds, the Navy club has admitted defeat and for the first time in the 21-year history of the North Harbour union will not have a team in the premier competition.

Harbour have followed the example of most other unions by electing to conclude their club competitions in August, meaning for the playoff matches starting in July teams will have to do without their representative players.

The impact on the leading clubs will obviously be immense and, while he is philosophical about the challenges ahead, Takapuna coach, former All Black Blair Larsen, said these are hard times for club rugby.

Takapuna's problems are compounded by the fact that four of their top forwards, Marty Veale, Brent Wilson, Rodney Voullaire and Patrick Flavell, having missed out on Super contracts, have taken up overseas contracts.

Massey won back-to-back titles in 2004-05. They should again prosper under the astute coaching of Graham Lowe but it is questionable how much value they will get out of their many star backs.

Anthony Tuitavake, George Pisi and Junior Poluleuligaga are all with the Blues and hooker Roger Dustow is in the wider squad. They will no sooner be back from the Super 14 when the NPC will start.

Other clubs have either Super 14-NPC clashes or have already lost players overseas or to other unions. In this category are Nick Williams, Craig McGrath and Anthony Mailei (Northcote), Viliame Waqaseduadua, Ben Meyer and Tom Harding (North Shore) and Joe Ward (Marist).

Silverdale also have Luke McAlister and Greg Rawlinson but neither appeared last year.

Glenfield will have one of the more diverting coaching staffs, with former All Black Walter Little and former Warriors coach Tony Kemp.

Counties-Manakau

As many unions around the country point to a decline in club rugby, Counties-Manukau can genuinely say they're a province on the rise following the revamp of the NPC.

With Counties having won a place in the top division of the new Air New Zealand Cup, as many as 30 players have crossed the border to play club rugby there in the hope of winning a spot in Kevin Putt's NPC side.

It's given the club competition a much-needed shot in the arm, and this is doubly so given the fact the Counties-Manukau union have scheduled the competition so that all provincial players will be involved throughout. While most club competitions will finish in August, Counties will stage their final on June 24, a month before the start of the Air New Zealand Cup.

Pukekohe will once again start as favourites after picking up the past two titles but they will face stern competition from the likes of Ardmore Marist, Patumahoe, Karaka and a rejuvenated Manurewa.

The 11 clubs have been divided into two pools based on their placing in 2005 and will play five rounds of grading games. The top six sides then play off for the McNamara Cup while the bottom five clubs compete for the Rawiri Trophy.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY