Rugby: BoP lose star turn back to Auks

By WYNNE GRAY

A mystery walkabout by midfielder Amasio Valence has given Eroni Clarke an Auckland NPC selection reprieve.

Instead of lining up in the blue and gold of Bay of Plenty for Saturday's second-division start against Wanganui, Clarke will be a reserve in his regular blue and white for Auckland.

After playing for Auckland in their trial game with Canterbury last week, Valence was given a dispensation to travel to Fiji as long as he returned for the weekend trial with Northland.

The national sevens rep missed that appointment and made no telephone contact and, when he finally arrived in Auckland this week, was told he would be dropped to the development squad.

Valence's error has given Clarke a late chance to add to his 123 games for the province. For Clarke, a very religious man, the saga has further underlined his faith.

After being cut with former skipper Robin Brooke from the initial Auckland squad, Clarke was loaned to the Bay. He went into camp with them, trained with them and was getting ready for another session this week when the call came to return to Auckland.

"I was working up a good rapport with the Bay boys, but then this happened," Clarke said yesterday. "All I can say is this must be part of God's will; you never know what is around the corner."

Under New Zealand Rugby Football Union rules, any player can be loaned to another union before the start of the NPC and can be called back if there is an emergency in his usual side.

But if that player is selected for his regular union, he cannot then be loaned to another province.

The late switch disappointed BoP coach Gordon Tietjens.

"The players were excited by Eroni's arrival and he was going to bring valuable experience to our young backline," he said. "The team are disappointed to lose him, but if Auckland do not use him in their squad we would love to have him back."

That is unlikely to happen. Clarke was a definite midfield reserve yesterday for Craig Innes and Iliesa Tanivula, though that could change.

Some observers suggested Clarke's return had more to do with Auckland's twin trial defeats against Canterbury and Northland than Valence's disappearance.

Not so, said Auckland coach Wayne Pivac. "We were disappointed with those results but we can rectify that," he said.

All Blacks Craig Dowd and Doug Howlett will both play against Taranaki on Saturday night at Eden Park, but those promising returns may be offset by several injuries and illness.

Halfback Steve Devine is struggling with the flu and a hamstring problem, while Adrian Cashmore has a knee cartilage problem. Flanker Mark Carter is out with rib problems and Finau Maka is being troubled by a knee injury.