Rugby: It's back to the future for Spice

By WYNNE GRAY

A few years ago Jason Spice imagined himself in an Auckland rugby jersey.

The coach, Graham Henry, did too. He wooed the halfback north when he was unable to get a regular place with Waikato or the Chiefs, and signed him to the blue-and-whites.

But Henry left for Wales, Auckland went cold on the deal as they leaned towards Steve Devine's talents, and Spice had to scrabble round for another deal.

He and another Auckland reject, Ofisa Tonu'u, managed to link up with the Hurricanes, with Spice carrying on with strong deeds for Wellington.

"In the end they did me a favour, though I was very disappointed at the time," Spice said.

Mid-year, he and former Waikato team-mate Rhys Duggan were picked as halfbacks for the New Zealand A side who did not get to play any of their scheduled matches against Fiji. But it was a sign that Spice's rugby journey was on the ascent.

The 25-year-old is one of the twin elements, missing from the round-robin clash between Auckland and Wellington, who could swing tonight's opening NPC semifinal at Eden Park.

Spice had damaged ankle ligaments and Robin Brooke sternum damage - injuries which removed both of them from Auckland's 24-19 pool match victory.

Without Spice, Wellington struggled with some decisions and organisation. Without Brooke, Auckland suffered against Dion Waller in the lineout and at kickoffs.

"We let ourselves down with some little things against Auckland," Spice recalled. "

"We copped a good bagging, but we did some good stuff in that game, too."

Brooke returned quickly to Auckland, where his influence continued, but Spice missed three games and some of the conditioning he needs in his pivotal role.

In the end, the coaching staff were happy to see Spice back on the track and away from their bench in the stand.

"I think I am a bit of a distraction. I get a bit frustrated watching, and at one stage I had to do a lot of negotiation to be able to sit with them again," he said.

In his time in Wellington, Spice has been coached, encouraged and cajoled by former Manawatu halfback Brent Elder.

"He doesn't let me get away with much," Spice said. "There was one pre-season Super 12 game against ACT when I was ambling back in 30-degree heat to cover some kicks and after the game Brent told me I should have been kicked up the backside.

"We also work on my pass to get a good rhythm and learn about the game. The important thing is to be thinking all the time and not get tunnel vision."

Spice works on being a playmaker, on his defence and being available in all situations.

Like most good halfbacks, he is combative, never short of advice for anyone who will listen, and gives everything a crack.

"It has been a good move this one to Wellington," he confessed.

"It has turned out well and has developed my game steadily, even though it was a forced move."

Spice has a distinctive pass, where his head drops on delivery - rugby's version of Paul Adams, the left-arm spinner for the South African cricket side, whose style was likened to a "frog in a blender."

"I probably bend from the hips too much rather than the knees and my head goes into a bit of a dip," Spice said.

"I tried to stop it before the start of the NPC, but now I have gone back to my natural way.

"It doesn't matter. It is not as if I don't sight my target before I let it go."

Spice was a useful cricketer himself, bowling some left-arm spin for Northen Districts before, he will tell you, he allowed Daniel Vettori to come through.

He does not miss cricket, nor does he want to miss a go at the NPC final. He was in Wellington's unsuccessful challenge against Auckland for the title last year, a game with parts missing from his recollection after he was kicked accidentally in the head by a team-mate's flying boot.

Of tonight's match, he said: "This is it; there are no other chances.

"We have not had a lot of success against Auckland because they are so consistent, but we are positive. We will enjoy it and play our best."