Tuitupou injury still a worry for final

Midfield back Sam Tuitupou remains a day-to-day proposition as Auckland continue preparations for Saturday's NPC first division final against Wellington.

Sidelined by injury for the stirring semifinal win over Otago last weekend, Auckland, already without new All Black Ben Atiga, are hoping Tuitupou will be fit to play.

His presence would aid Auckland in their desire to continue the expansive game that has won them games and plenty of fans.

An Auckland side for the final is likely to be named today. Whether that will be the team remains in doubt.

Although they trained at Eden Park yesterday, it was by no means a full-on session, with a number of players taking only a restricted part.

Graham Henry, seen as the key to the stout Auckland defence this season, was happily barking instructions, but not always to a full muster.

Given the attacking style of both teams, this is shaping as a worthy final - one likely to show that even without the best players, domestic rugby is alive and well in the country's two biggest cities.

* Auckland coach Wayne Pivac has applauded the NZRFU's decision to bend its rules and appoint Wellington referee Lyndon Bray to the final.

Bray will become the first non-neutral referee to officiate in an NPC match.

The union's deputy chief executive, Steve Tew, said the decision had been made in light of the absence of New Zealand's top four professional referees, who are at the World Cup.

Bray had been the best-performed referee in this year's competition and his appointment was on merit.

Tew said the move had the backing of the Wellington and Auckland unions.

Pivac strongly endorsed Bray's appointment.

"I think it's a sensible decision. He's clearly the No 1," Pivac said.

Bray has refereed Auckland's last two matches, the Ranfurly Shield win against Canterbury and their semifinal win against Otago on Saturday night.

Pivac said Bray had played a big part in the quality of both games.

Bray has headed Hawkes Bay's Gary Wise and Bay of Plenty's Bryce Lawrence for the final.

* The showpiece of the domestic season is in danger of not having a showpiece ground to match.

The Cake Tin has brown patches around the field after a weed-killing operation five weeks ago went wrong.

However, a report suggesting the ground had been dug up in anticipation of the cricket season, and Wellington's notoriously unreliable rugby side not making the final, proved a little too good to be true.

It was vigorously denied yesterday by Westpac Stadium chief executive David Gray.

Turf manager Trevor Jackson said what really happened was a malfunction in a turf-spraying machine.

"It's just put on a bit more chemical in some places than others and killed off the grass in patches round the outside," Jackson said. "The pitch itself is in first-class nick."

- Staff reporters, NZPA

NPC points table