Rugby: Black Friday kicks off soul-searching for Auckland

By WYNNE GRAY

For much of this week, Auckland have been analysing their rugby season.

What might have been a fairly standard examination had they narrowly lost their semifinal became a major inquisition after Wellington thrashed them 48-23 last Friday.

It was a very Black Friday and made judging the lowlight of the year uncomfortably easy.

Finding the reasons has proved more difficult. "Certainly the major thrust of our debrief has been about why we did not front in the semifinal, why we collapsed at such a crucial time," coach Wayne Pivac said.

Pivac and his assistant Grant Fox were keeping their findings pretty quiet, intent on redressing the problems away from the public arena.

An A pass heading into the semifinal was lowered to a satisfactory C only because of that stumble.

After winning the NPC last year, Auckland had to wonder how they would progress this season with the All Blacks back in the competition.

In the pool matches, that path was encouraging.

While some of the rugby was mixed, Auckland lost only to Canterbury.

"We made some progress, it was coming along quietly," Pivac said. "We had the odd senior player in with a sprinkling of younger talent. I believe the team will reach a peak about 2002."

But the aim has to be victory every season in the NPC, and those hopes foundered in a wretched playoff.

Under the pressure of a sudden-death semi, Auckland folded.

They were niggled, they were baited, given plenty of verbal and had no answer. Does that remind us of any All Black game in 1999?

If anything, Auckland may have been too well-mannered to counter some of Wellington's rough stuff.

Their work against Otago the week before may have lulled them into a false sense of security.

That huge win against the demoralised southerners did not give Auckland enough ruthlessness for the semifinal.

They had beaten Wellington in round-robin play and were looking at revenge against Canterbury in the final.

In rugby parlance, they took their eye off the ball.

Given a gameplan of taking on the Wellington forwards, earning penalties to kick for position or points, Auckland did not stick to the scheme. In part they were not allowed to, in part they were unable to, while they also lost their way.

For Pivac, the solitary pool game defeat against Canterbury was a highlight.

"It was the first major test for this team," he said.

"We were up against a team of All Blacks. We had a reasonable start against Taranaki, Counties and Southland, and then this tough match in round four.

"If we had been dicked it would have been hard to come back. Even though we were beaten, the match gave us self-belief and we made steady progress from there.

"Some thought our work against Otago was great. It was in the second- half, but by then Otago were a spent force."

In his second season, hooker Keven Mealamu was a consistent standout. His lineout throwing was steady, his bumping, bustling, speedy runs a key to forward productivity.

Pivac agreed with that assessment and fingered Xavier Rush, Mils Muliaina and Robin Brooke for their consistency, and Leo Lafaiali'i, Charles Reichelmann, Doug Howlett and Carlos Spencer for solid contributions. Absentees next season will be Adrian Cashmore, Andrew Blowers and Dylan Mika - all off overseas.

Pivac would not comment on any possible loose forward replacements, though Justin Collins and Craig de Goldi have been touted. Bay of Plenty's Justin Wilson is another transfer whisper in midfield, but all Pivac would say was that deals were not done until the end of November.

Veterans Brooke and Eroni Clarke were discarded early, but that rejection and their experience allowed them to sting when they were reintroduced.

Both claim they want to go another year.

Like most New Zealand teams, Auckland have tighthead prop concerns in the scrum. Skipper Paul Thomson also struggled because a knee injury mid-year affected his ability to get back to full fitness.

The midfield was stolid.

Next season may be the time to try Amasio Valence more after his interesting burst against Otago.

Auckland should get more players in the Blues than their franchise partners.

Apart from their semifinal they showed they were better regularly than their Northland and North Harbour partners.

They flunked that playoff test, but at least made it that far.

It will give Blues coach Gordon Hunter a lot more questions about his second-year Super 12 selection.