Rugby: Clarke's final hopes dodgy

By Chris Rattue

Influential Auckland centre Eroni Clarke remains in major doubt for Saturday night's NPC grand final against Wellington because of a hamstring injury.

Auckland coach Wayne Pivac said Clarke would resume training again tomorrow at the earliest.

"Eroni remains a last-minute proposition but hopefully we'll know more on Thursday. He means so much to this team," Pivac said.

Iliesa Tanivula replaced Clarke early in Saturday's semifinal, but Pivac was keeping Wellington guessing - saying Caleb Ralph was also a centre contender if Clarke is ruled unfit.

Hooker Paul Mitchell (back), lock Leo Lafaiali'i (knee) and halfback Steve Devine (ankle) are all expected to be fit enough to play, although Pivac and assistant Grant Fox are expected to stick with the long-passing Ofisa Tonu'u after his strong game in the semifinal win over North Harbour.

The TAB has listed Auckland as surprisingly strong favourites, with the home side paying $1.16 against Wellington's $4.50.

Wellington manager Tony Bedford said last night that they would have a full squad to choose from, although flanker Dallas Seymour (calf muscle) would not be able to train until tomorrow because of injury. Second five-eighths Paul Steinmetz (double vision) had been cleared.

Meanwhile, Auckland officials confirmed that Saturday night's semifinal crowd at Eden Park was just 17,000, after earlier claiming through error that it might have been as high as 25,000.

And following Pivac's call for increased support at the grand final, the union put out a release echoing his senti-ments.

Auckland chief executive Geoff Hipkins said: "We're going out to celebrate the end of a fantastic campaign, which has been a direct result of the hard work that everyone at Auckland rugby has contributed."

Hipkins said it was also a chance for the public to salute Michael Jones, although the player did not want his final game to diminish the importance of taking the title.

"It's the end of an era for Auckland - the Michael Jones era - and we're looking forward to saluting him with a big win at his final game on Saturday," he said.

"Our last round-robin game, against Counties Manukau, was a tribute to Michael, so we probably won't do anything special for him on Saturday. He's indicated he would just rather focus on playing and winning. We'll probably just run his video montage and that'll be about it."

Hawkes Bay referee Kelvin Deaker, who controlled the Eden Park semifinal, has won the grand final job, with Steve Walsh sen (North Harbour) and Tony Greene (Waikato) the touch judges.

Paul Macfie (Taranaki) will control the second-division final between Nelson Bays and Bay of Plenty at Nelson, and Gary Wise (Hawkes Bay) the third-division clash between East Coast and Poverty Bay in Ruatoria.