Rugby: Top-class rugby over for Brooke

By WYNNE GRAY

An Auckland rugby career which started in 1987 has ended for champion lock Robin Brooke with his exclusion from the squad to defend the NPC title this season.

The veteran is ready to answer any emergency calls, but with the squad already trimmed to 25 with further culls next week when the final squad is announced, Brooke has been left off the playing roster.

It was a decision he expected and accepted. "I've had a few seasons to prepare for this sort of thing," he said yesterday, "and if any locks go down I might get a call.

"But it is time to blood some younger locks which is fair enough. It was probably harder on the coaching staff to tell me than for me to accept the decision."

Coach Wayne Pivac has chosen to go with Charles Reichelmann and Leo Lafaiali'i as his frontline locks, with cover from Dylan Mika, while there is talent such as national under-19 rep Bradley Mika waiting for his chance.

"Rob was a fantastic player but all of those have their time," Pivac said. "It is not easy to deliver the news to any player, let alone a great All Black, but he took it superbly and will be in training and ready if we have an SOS."

Brooke is on a New Zealand Rugby Union contract which continues until the end of next year.

After captaining the Blues in the Super 12 this season, Brooke missed All Blacks' selection after 62 tests and has now been chopped from Auckland.

Other Super 12 players who have missed the Auckland squad are hooker Paul Mitchell who has been loaned to King Country, and lock Jason Chandler who has been loaned to Bay of Plenty.

Brooke started for Auckland in a game against Queensland and played the last of his 95 matches for his province two years ago against Southland.

All Black duty meant he did not play in the NPC last season. The 33-year-old has been playing rugby for his Marist club, but has no intention of disappearing overseas to any other contract.

In 1995, he came close to accepting a huge offer to play in Japan but, after three seasons earlier in Italy, did not feel compelled to play offshore. Nor did his elder brother Zinzan try to woo him to the Harlequins club in England.

"I have got heaps of great memories. When I started with Auckland they were world-class and I think only Lindsay Harris and myself were non-All Blacks.

"There were the South Island tours and the magnificent Ranfurly Shield era. We had such an incredible side which made it a bit of a lop-sided competition because we were so much better than others.

"I had to sit on the bench for about four years. Frank Bunce did, too, Eric Rush ... it would never happen now. Players would just take off. I think out of Auckland's development tour to Argentina in 1990, about 80 per cent became All Blacks."

Graham Henry coached that side and, with the Maurice Trapp and Bryan Williams partnership, were the only Auckland coaches Brooke had during his long career. In much the same way, the lock was coached only by Laurie Mains and John Hart for the All Blacks.

But now even he knows his professional sporting life is over.

"The body goes first, it is frustrating," he said. "I remember talking to Alan Whetton who was telling me, 'Once you wait until you get to my age.' It is nature's way I guess."

Brooke considers 1995-97 his best years - the series win for the All Blacks in South Africa in 1996 the highlight.

Opponents he rated top were Wallaby Garrick Morgan, before he went to rugby league, Martin Johnson and Mark Andrews.

Now he has faith in Blues' Troy Flavell to make a strong international impression.

"I think he is perhaps more of a front-of-the-lineout jumper than the middle, but he has got some real ability. I am impressed."