Rugby: Judiciary, injury woes for Auckland

Andrew Van der Heijden of Auckland fends off Tyson Keats of Canterbury during their match at Eden Park. Photo / Getty Images

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Auckland will find out today if two of their backs are to appear before the rugby judiciary this week.

Wing Winston Stanley and fullback Paul Williams could be receiving airline tickets to Wellington on Wednesday after being cited over incidents in the second half of Auckland's 22-16 loss to defending champions Canterbury at Eden Park.

Stanley, who made a leaping block on Canterbury second five-eighths Ryan Crotty, should escape further censure. The three points he conceded as a result, plus a telling off from referee Bryce Lawrence, might be deemed punishment enough, but Williams could be a different story.

His no-arms shoulder charge ironed out Dan Carter five minutes from the end. He has no previous on his card, but that might not help.

Auckland also have an injury worry, with first five-eighths Daniel Bowden stretchered off shortly before the finish after his head hit the knee of Canterbury replacement Adam Whitelock in an attempted tackle.

Bowden will have further checks today but the early signs were encouraging.

Balancing the possible loss of a couple of backs, Auckland coach Mark Anscombe can call on All Black wing Joe Rokocoko and utility back Isaia Toeava for the trip to Kerikeri to face a resurgent Northland this Saturday.

However, All Black flanker Jerome Kaino is still off limits to his province.

Auckland have some way to go this season, but at least the second half was a step up on week one's dire loss to Hawkes Bay and Saturday's first-half effort.

The introduction of Ash Moeke at first five-eighths helped with the goalkicking and a bit more structure and Auckland got some good value out of No 8 Peter Saili, while props John Afoa and replacement Paea Fa'anunu barrelled forward to good effect.

The lineouts, with Andrew van der Heijden and Jay Williams on song, were good and once they got their ginger up in the second half, Auckland did have some bright moments.

Taniela Moa threatened around the fringes when he was introduced in the second half and captain Benson Stanley, in his first game for more than five months, looked classy. One corner-flagging tackle on Crotty stopped a certain try early in the second half.

But there could be no arguing with the final outcome, as Carter reinforced his readiness to return to the All Blacks with six successful shots from eight attempts at goal, plus the solitary Canterbury try, supporting centre Tim Bateman after he roared through a giant defensive hole.

That came a minute after Benson Stanley, who had been impressive holding the middle Auckland line together, was replaced.

Anscombe admitted Stanley could have come off 10 minutes earlier after feeling some tightening in his legs. But as the coach pointed out, "If we'd left him on we could have got exposed; we took him off and did get exposed".

The bottom line for Auckland is the issue of self-belief, says Anscombe. Instill more of that and things will change.

"In the past there have been incredible gamebreakers in Auckland and Blues rugby. If you kept possession one of them would break you open," he said.

"Now we have to keep possession, and build pressure until the opportunities come."

He pointed out that after being tentative and achieving little in the first half - "waiting for something to happen" - the confidence grew, "one thing led to another and we started believing in ourselves".

More of the same is the order of the week.

* Waikato ran in four tries to see off a Manawatu side who won't die wondering this season. Amid talk of them being fodder on the New Zealand Rugby Union's chopping board, they gave Waikato a decent contest, just missing a bonus point in the 30-22 defeat in Hamilton, to follow a first-up win a week ago.

* Wellington maintained their winning start with a good win over Hawkes Bay, 21-13 in Napier, on a day the union drew one of their biggest crowds to McLean Park.