Manu fight to drag on

By WYNNE GRAY

Prop Deacon Manu should comply with the deal he signed to play for Auckland in next year's NPC, says the New Zealand Rugby Union.

Once that ruling was delivered yesterday, Manu was placed in the Blues squad for next year's Super 12.

"The mediation failed and our view is that the contract Deacon Manu signed is valid for Auckland and therefore he is eligible for the Blues," said acting NZRFU chief executive Steve Tew.

"Our view is that the contract was signed in good faith and should be honoured. But we understand that could be challenged."

That understanding quickly became fact, as Waikato coach Ian Foster confirmed.

"It is not a decision we agree with because there are a lot of anomalies in this issue which have not been made public," said Foster.

"We will be pursuing it."

Asked whether the contract wrangle had affected Manu in his buildup to the semifinal against Otago, Foster said he would have an answer on Saturday night.

Auckland chief executive David White said his union was determined to hold Manu to the deal, even though the prop wanted to renege on a two-year contract he signed in July.

Tew said he and NZRFU lawyer Steve Cottrell had made the decision about Manu and had run their ruling past new chairman Jock Hobbs.

It has been a week when Waikato have hogged the rugby headlines.

The Manu dispute festered on, lock Royce Willis confirmed he was leaving for a contract next season in Japan while Waikato mulled over selection shocks for their semifinal.

Willis was out, halfback Rhys Duggan was struggling with knee ligament damage and wing Roger Randle had a badly bruised leg.

But there were miraculous comebacks.

Blindside flanker Jono Gibbes has recovered from a knee injury suffered against Auckland just over a fortnight ago and was back training and halfback Isaac Boss had a clearance after breaking his jaw at the start of the NPC.

"I am very surprised about Gibbes and he has a very strong chance of playing," Foster said.

An initial diagnosis indicated Gibbes would be out for six weeks, but an MRI scan suggested he had aggravated some scar tissue rather than damaging his ligaments.

"We had assumed the worst, we had written him off for the NPC but he fronted at training and is ready to go."

Foster would not nominate Gibbes' starting place, but it seems he will move into lock, leaving Stephen Bates on the flank.

Boss had been cleared to play, a decision which helped since Duggan was still rated a 50-50 shot for Saturday.

* Canterbury confirmed an unchanged side for tomorrow's NPC rugby semifinal against Auckland at Jade Stadium, with coach Aussie McLean hoping for a big home crowd to get behind the defending champion.

Canterbury will field 14 All Blacks in their starting 15, with test lock Chris Jack expected to take part in today's captain's run after sitting out training earlier this week with a minor calf strain.

Canterbury: Ben Blair, Joe Maddock, Mark Robinson, Caleb Ralph, Aaron Mauger (co-captain), Andrew Mehrtens, Justin Marshall, Scott Robertson, Richard McCaw, Norm Maxwell, Chris Jack, Sam Broomhall, Greg Somerville, Mark Hammett (co-captain), Greg Somerville. Reserves: Nathan Mauger, Daniel Carter, Ben Hurst, Johnny Leo'o, Matt Dalzell, Chris King, Laurence Corlett.