Rugby: Beast of a bigger ilk prefers to play fast

After three years, Onosai Auva'a has finally arrived at his ideal weight. When first called into the Blues to cover injuries midway through the 2006 campaign, he was just 88kg - and probably, he thinks, the lightest forward in Super 14 at that time.

He's now 102kg and a different beast to the one he was three years ago. His ability to stand strong over the ball at the breakdown has always been the big question mark over his game.

To operate effectively in the No 7 jersey, you have to be able to pilfer turnover ball. It's not an easy business. As Auva'a says: "It is one of the hardest things. When you are standing stationary like that, you are open to be hit hard. You are giving the opposition a free shot at you when you are not moving.

"Richie McCaw is the master at it. I watch tapes of Richie to see what he does because he's so strong when he gets down into that position."

It's certainly a bit easier for Auva'a to protect himself at 102kg. Whether he's proving to the Blues' coaching staff he can handle the physical demands at the collision is not yet known.

Auva'a started against the Sharks but was back on the bench for Friday night's game in Albany. He confessed to being a little surprised as he felt he'd played well in the loss at Eden Park.

"Maybe my expectations differ to those of the coaches and what they want from my position."

Or, more likely, Auva'a's key strengths were going to be better utilised later in the season against opponents who want to play a faster, more open, game.

That's when the 24-year-old comes into his own. He has played sevens for New Zealand and is thought to be the fastest forward in the country. And it's his raw pace, ability to get to the breakdown first, link play and carry the ball that makes him such an intriguing proposition.

Auva'a is a No 7 in a different mould to McCaw. He's different again to Adam Thomson, and is the sort of player who could make an impact at test level if the All Blacks wanted to run the legs off an opponent.

"I love a really fast game," says Auva'a. "That's when I'm happiest. When the game is relentless, that's when you see the players who have done the work and who are fit and those who haven't. My key strengths are my speed and my ability to link play. I also like to make a nuisance of myself."

It might seem a little fanciful to be talking of Auva'a as a potential All Black when, at the moment, he can't nail the Blues' No 7 jersey.

But the season has some way to unwind and there is this hard-to-shake sense things will slot into place for him in 2009.

Blues coach Pat Lam is not in any hurry to settle on a XV. The Blues play the Chiefs this week then the Waratahs at Eden Park before the bye on the first weekend in April. After that things become serious, combinations will be given time to settle and selections become consistent.

Josh Blackie is not hopeful of playing soon after hurting his ankle. Gus Collins will play wherever he's asked and can hold his own at openside. But the 34-year-old Collins would be the first to say that playing 80 minutes there every week is not something he could pull off.

The door might just be open for Auva'a especially as the Blues have a run against the Lions, Highlanders, Reds and Hurricanes after the bye that will almost certainly be high tempo games when the bonus point will be chased.

It's in that mid-point of the campaign when the Blues need to build momentum and find their rhythm. At their best, they play with pace and width and Auva'a could become critical, he could even become a star.

He's not thinking about that right now. "Whatever gametime I do get, I'm trying to make sure I take my opportunities and do enough to secure a place.

"Liam Barry [Blues skills coach] is really helping me with the specifics of the position. I pick up a lot of knowledge from him while Pat provides a lot of general advice.

"I'm also fortunate that Gus is my gym partner and he's incredible."

A couple of starts and a couple of appearances off the bench is not the start Auva'a had in mind this year. With Daniel Braid at the Reds, Auva'a was hoping he would have ownership of the openside position.

It hasn't happened so far but that is no reason for despair. This time last year Anthony Boric couldn't establish himself at lock either. It was only in the second half of the campaign that he started to shine and show his potential.

By the end of the year, Boric was a steady All Black, pushing to make the starting XV. It's a longshot, but don't discount Auva'a making the same late charge to national honours.