Rugby: Different spurs in local derby

By WYNNE GRAY

COUNTIES MANUKAU v AUCKLAND

The fortunes of the draw mean defending NPC champions Auckland need every point in the opening rounds this year.

With the All Blacks unavailable for the opening three rounds of the 2000 series, Auckland were looking to play understrength Canterbury, Otago or Wellington somewhere during that sequence.

Hope did not translate into reality.

Auckland will play Canterbury in round four, Wellington in round five and Otago in their last round-robin game.

Early victories, perhaps with bonus points, were imperative for Auckland to build some sort of buffer in the scramble for semifinal places.

When the draw was issued they had Taranaki, Counties Manukau then Southland to start with.

They got past Taranaki in the opening round last week in what was a very awkward start to the first NPC of this millennium.

Tomorrow Auckland have the short trip down the Southern motorway to play Counties at Pukekohe.

Before the competition, Counties were not considered much of a threat and after their 15-58 loss to North Harbour, their reputation decreased even further.

Coach Andrew Talaimanu ranked the loss with the lowest effort he has endured in his long association with the province.

While Auckland won the title last season, they have lost a bit of experience and could be vulnerable under pressure or in self-confidence. Those messages would have been reinforced this week at training as coach Wayne Pivac juggled a few selections.

On form, an Auckland win would seem a formality and Talaimanu almost conceded that eventuality.

One alteration in the Auckland backline gives battered halfback Steve Devine some rest from his injuries and a chance to assess Ben Meyer, who has looked useful in several cameo runs off the bench.

The other changes were enforced, with a foot injury taking lock Charles Reichelmann out of the game and Craig Dowd away with the All Blacks, so Nick White plays tighthead prop.

Counties have a couple of changes, but Talaimanu's instructions this week have been about pride in the jersey, getting some credibility after last weekend's woes.

The team's greatest drawcard, Jonah Lomu, has gone, Joeli Vidiri cannot get out of the reserves yet and the pack are being reformed. It is going to be a torrid season for Counties, but Talaimanu is searching for those who show commitment during adversity.

The Auckland pack are unlikely to get as severe an examination as last week and the interest will be whether the backline can become more fluid.

There was a safety-first look about their work against Taranaki and they will want more production from Carlos Spencer through to new centre Iliesa Tanivula to prepare for later matches.