NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Rugby

Off like Lams to the slaughter

Wynne Gray
By Wynne Gray
12 Sep, 2004 07:54 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

By WYNNE GRAY

Rugby's recidivists are at it again.

Many thought it implausible that Auckland, with such a torrent of possession, could lose last week against North Harbour. But they reproduced that NPC expertise on Saturday with a 21-27 loss against Wellington.

Smoke and mirrors have accompanied Auckland's work this season, and both
were in full mode in the capital. Reflections show the tight five did the business again, while the haze descended over the loose forwards and backline.

The defence was unable to stop two Wellington lineout takes and surges for tries, although there was a similar Auckland reply for a try to Jerome Kaino.

Individuals like Mils Muliaina created space but there was little pattern for his team-mates to latch on to. Singular forays foundered against the surly Wellington defence.

Moves were infrequent and it was criminal that the attacking talents of Joe Rokocoko and Ben Atiga were not promoted.

There was a lift in the second half and Auckland could have snatched victory after the siren. They nearly went the length of the field, helped by referee Paul Honiss' four penalty advantages, until Wellington gratefully sacked a maul.

For most of the match, Auckland seemed caught between a mixture of styles. They kicked for territory, they had solo bursts, they even developed lengthy phases towards the end but too much was lateral continuity.

And Wellington had the passion at the breakdown, winning vital turnovers.

One steal was especially decisive.

Late in the first half as Auckland, 6-10 adrift, rumbled towards the Wellington line, the locals nicked the ball.

Some 90m later, Lome Fa'atau touched down and Auckland's chance of scraping to a halftime lead had withered to a 6-17 deficit.

After the shocks of the opening four rounds, the Cake Tin was not the time or place for regrets. But that will be the overriding sentiment for the defending champions.

Only a fusion of upset results and a remarkable turnaround in their own form will get Auckland into the NPC playoffs this season.

Auckland were hampered by gastric flu during the week - although two victims, captain Xavier Rush and Daniel Braid, eventually played - while halfback David Gibson and first five-eighths Carlos Spencer withdrew late through injury.

But Auckland knew before this NPC campaign they would need wider resources because of the absences of their test players.

Equally, Wellington could point to their lack of "recognised" players and the early loss of Ma'a Nonu to a thumb injury.

Once again, this result was a triumph for a team performance against a collection of individuals.

And how familiar does that sound for Auckland this season, no matter who they put out in the blue and white hoops?

They have some magnificent ball players but remain a side unable to develop a concerted, patterned base to advance those qualities. Grafters are thin on the ground.

Rush tried on Saturday but you suspect he was down on energy while the frustrations of hooker Keven Mealamu were also evident. To watch the glut of ball wasted by poor choices or a lack of basic passing and support skills must also be galling for the rookie coaching staff.

It must be hard to follow Orene Ai'i, for all his brilliance, as a halfback when he has to control the tempo of matches, while Tasesa Lavea has not yet gelled with Sam Tuitupou.

Sione Lauaki may have starred in the Super 12 and the Pacific Islanders tour but he is off the pace in the NPC.

Coach Pat Lam has defended Lauaki's repeated selection, but his workrate and tackling remain patchy, his lines on attack sloppy. Workers like the repaired Justin Collins or Angus Macdonald need to be reintroduced.

There will also be hope today that medical tests on Spencer's knee and Gibson's wrenched neck will clear the duo for the next inquest from Taranaki at Eden Park on Saturday.

NPC fixtures, results and standings
Division One | Division Two | Division Three

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Rugby

Super Rugby

Super Rugby teams: Key changes highlight semifinal squads

11 Jun 04:26 AM
Premium
Analysis

Gregor Paul: Behind the strategic timing of Mark Robinson's resignation

11 Jun 03:54 AM
All Blacks

All Blacks winger re-signs with NZ Rugby and Blues

10 Jun 08:20 PM

Why Cambridge is the new home of future-focused design

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rugby

Super Rugby teams: Key changes highlight semifinal squads

Super Rugby teams: Key changes highlight semifinal squads

11 Jun 04:26 AM

How the teams will line up in the Super Rugby Pacific semifinals.

Premium
Gregor Paul: Behind the strategic timing of Mark Robinson's resignation

Gregor Paul: Behind the strategic timing of Mark Robinson's resignation

11 Jun 03:54 AM
All Blacks winger re-signs with NZ Rugby and Blues

All Blacks winger re-signs with NZ Rugby and Blues

10 Jun 08:20 PM
NZ Rugby announces launch of Fantasy Rugby Championship

NZ Rugby announces launch of Fantasy Rugby Championship

10 Jun 05:00 AM
Clean water fuelling Pacific futures
sponsored

Clean water fuelling Pacific futures

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP