Rugby: Auckland aiming to tighten up

Rieko Ioane is on the pine after scoring a hat-trick for the Auckland Under 19s. Photo / Getty

Auckland have done extra work looking at how they defend lineout drives after conceding two tries from that facet against Otago last Sunday.

Tightening that area will be imperative as the 4-1-1 Auks face down the Premiership form horse Tasman Makos in Blenheim on Sunday.

"There's plenty of ways a driving maul can be stopped (legally)," said coach Paul Feeney. "First and foremost, you've got to want to stop it. Some of us didn't stick to the defensive systems we've got, so that's been a focus. We let ourselves down as a group.

"You have to want to put your head in a dark space and have a crack at them... I love seeing my team mauling for 20m and dominating the opposition. It's definitely part of the game if the ball is off the ground," said Feeney, temporarily forgetting his backline roots, it seems.

Greg Pleasants-Tate is back at hooker, while loosie Blake Gibson returns to the bench, a week ahead of schedule after injuring himself in the opener on August 13.

Lock Scott Scrafton and fullback Lolagi Visinia are out with niggles, so Will Lloyd comes into the second row and Charlie Piutau moves back to fullback. Centre/wing Rieko Ioane is on the pine after scoring a hat-trick for the Auckland Under 19s in the Eden Park curtainraiser last Sunday. No decision has yet being made as to whether he will stay with the ITM Cup squad or play in the Jock Hobbs Memorial national Under 19 tournament in Taupo next week.

"Last year the Under 19s thought they were going to get Blake Gibson, Vince Aso and TJ Faiane through injury. They got none of them. If we need Rieko, he'll be with us, but we know the Under 19s are important to Auckland rugby," said Feeney.

He is under no illusions as to Tasman's quality, though North Harbour pressured them at times in Wednesday's 39-20 crossover clash in Nelson. But they have the maximum points from six games and top the Premiership. We know what Marty Banks and Shane Christie can do, but right wing Viliami Lolohea announced himself with a sterling hat-trick against Harbour.

"KK (Makos coach Kieran Keane) has a very experienced team, I would say the most experienced in the competition. Most of their players have been there for three or four years and are Super Players as well. To me, they are the favourites to win the competition," Feeney said.

Seasoned outside back Kade Poki comes onto the Makos bench, but Robbie Malneek will have to wait at least another week to hoist his century for the union after missing the 23 cut.

Tasman have beaten Auckland just once, in 2011, while last year it was 16-all at Eden Park.

Auckland: Charlie Piutau, Bryce Heem, Vince Aso, George Moala, Ben Lam, Simon Hickey (c), Jono Hickey, Akira Ioane, Mitch Karpik, Joe Edwards, William Lloyd, Michael Fatialofa, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Greg Pleasants-Tate, Sam Prattley; Reserves: Kurt Eklund, Tom McHugh, Jono Owen, Taleni Seu, Blake Gibson, Kaito Shigeno, Mitch Hunt, Rieko Ioane