Hard work leads to turnaround for Eroni Clarke

By WYNNE GRAY

* Auckland v Taranaki

Several years ago Eroni Clarke was on the slide with Auckland. He had been put on loan to Bay of Plenty, his blue and white rugby future looking bleak.

This afternoon, the 33-year-old former All Black centre is in the Auckland team for their NPC opener against Taranaki, his appearance a reward for his enthusiasm, fitness regime and acceptance by the coaching staff.

"We thought he was past his use-by date when he went on loan," coach Wayne Pivac acknowledged.

"Eroni had lost a yard of pace but his return is a huge credit to him.

"He was told what we were after and he has been doing plenty of speed training with athletics coach Kerry Hill. He has dropped some weight and his passion for the game has never died on him."

According to Auckland records, which do vary against the NZ Almanac, Clarke will be playing his 148th match for the province today alongside another experienced campaigner Lee Stensness, who is in his comeback season after time in France. Stensness is also a former All Black midfield back and while they played many times together for Auckland, Clarke and Stensness never played as a test pairing, just in the midweek tour matches on the 1993 tour to Britain.

The pair are reunited today as the senior statesmen in a young Auckland side which will have to kick hard out of the blocks well before what could become a tight scramble for the playoffs.

Auckland's opening three games are against sides who will bring rugged forward examinations.

Taranaki today at Eden Park then Northland and North Harbour who both defeated the blue and whites last season.

And while there will be questions about Auckland's ability to cope with the class of Canterbury or Otago, much of that inquisition will be about the pack.

There is some experience there but the tight five could not be used in the pre-season games because of Kees Meeuws' All Black duty and other injuries.

Hooker Keven Mealamu has only had half a game after recovery from a broken arm while Ali Williams has dropped out because of a head knock and been replaced by NZ Maori lock Bryce Williams.

"We have not been able to work on our combinations there but that is the nature of the competition," Pivac said. "We were reasonably happy with our pre-season form although we did not get too many phases going in one match and then our defence was broken a few too many times for our comfort."

Taranaki will arrive with a group drilled hard by new Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper, a backline wanting to attack under the guidance of All Black selector Kieran Crowley.

They have not beaten Auckland since 1998 but if their pack can create enough cohesion they will present a serious challenge again.

Auckland have picked James Arlidge at first five-eighths and Carlos Spencer at fullback as he eases his way back into rugby after hamstring problems at the end of the club season. Spencer was being assessed again yesterday with a decision left until today about his fitness.

"It is a horses for courses choice because Carlos has not played for a while and James has been on form for us in the trial games," said Pivac.