Auckland let victory slip away

The Auckland defence catches up with Jeremy Thursh during Wellington's win last night. Marty Melville / Getty Images

Wellington 14 Auckland 11

It's early days to be playing a get out of jail card but nonetheless, Wellington have done it. Or maybe Auckland's plan, knowing it's possible they will meet Wellington in the knockout rounds, was to lull the men from the capital into a false sense of security.

They did a good job at coming across as no-hopers at the lineout where their work was shabby - kind of old man living on his own, turning his underpants inside out rather than washing them kind of shabby.

Even when All Black Derren Witcombe came off the bench, there was no discernible improvement. And it cost Auckland dearly.

Without any platform on the touchline, they couldn't build any momentum and the thrilling "play what you see" rugby that won them the championship last season was rarely in evidence.

It was just far too grotty a night to be so profligate at the set piece and at Wellington. It was one of those games where possession was everything and without the ball for much of the first half, Auckland just couldn't get going. But the strange thing was that Auckland didn't nail it in the second half.

When Witcombe and John Afoa came off the bench early in the second half, Auckland started to dominate the scrum and that little bit of authority at set piece was enough to nudge the pendulum imperceptibly towards the defending champions.

The incessant penalty count of the first half was suddenly going for them. Where Auckland were previously being accused of holding on, Wellington were instead pinged for coming over the top or not staying on their feet.

With Auckland reducing the deficit to 14-11 with half an hour remaining, Wellington decided just to hang on.

When Steve Devine and Daniel Braid came on in the final quarter, there was always a sense that Auckland had too much quality and experience to let victory drift out of sight.

But the big break wouldn't come. Somehow Wellington hung on or Auckland contrived to lose possession or run down the wrong alley.

What will worry coach Pat Lam the most is the way his side were out-muscled at the tackled ball. Ben Herring is one of the better poachers in the game and Thomas Waldrom also does some useful work in this area. But it was too easy for both men last night to isolate the ball carrier and either steal or disrupt possession.

Auckland are at their best when playing a fast, enterprising game and to do that, they like to have the big units roaming free. The lack of numbers being committed to rucks must be looked at, however, if they are to emulate last season's memorable football. They simply can't be bullied off the ball as easily as last night.

As for Wellington, they will have been delighted to see Conrad Smith inching his way back into form. The All Black centre had some nice touches and seems not to have lost any acceleration or ability to dance on his feet. Nor has that innate gift to read the game been lost on the physio's couch. Fellow All Black Ma'a Nonu must have spent his recovery in Smith's company for he passed the ball more times last night than he probably did last season. It didn't really suit him.

He's obviously taken on board the need to become a better distributor while the lesson for Auckland to learn last night was to be more selective in what they take from the All Blacks.

Replicating the All Blacks' free-flowing "play what you see" stuff works a treat for Auckland. But they might want to look for an alternative when it comes to the lineout.

Wellington 14 (B. Herring, R. Filipo tries; T. Ellison 2 cons) Auckland 11 (O. T-Auva'a try; B. Ward 2 pens)