Victory's golden glow

By WYNNE GRAY

Raucous, pensive and reflective reactions swirled about the Auckland rugby dressing room, but the gold medals identified everyone as winners of the NPC.

It was a familiar finals pattern on Saturday night at Waikato Stadium as the victors were feted and the vanquished left to their own company to ponder what might have been.

Veteran centre Eroni Clarke was omitted for the 40-28 victory against Waikato in Hamilton, but collected his sixth gold medal and beamed as only Clarke can.

At the tailend of an outstanding career, he has faith in his Maker to provide his rugby future, but across the room halfback Steve Devine was much more insecure.

Consolation embraces from teammates when Devine was subbed during the late stages of the final suggested it was his swansong from Auckland rugby. Unless the halfback earns a reprieve with the All Blacks today or the Blues tomorrow, it appears he is heading back across the ditch.

As those contrasts were played out in the winners' bunker, the front row club started playing up. Retiring prop Scott Palmer bounced round the room taunting team-mates and taking the mickey out of himself.

"I have carried the team to two NPC final wins in 1999 and 2002 - the only times I play look what happens," he mocked. Palmer was called up from his bank job to replace Nick White, who damaged knee ligaments before the semifinal.

Nearby, Mils Muliaina was introspective. It had been a great conclusion to a season that had been threatened by a social indiscretion a few weeks ago. The centre had scored the opportunist try that got Auckland rolling in the final when he retrieved a loose pass on his own 10m line, punted downfield then dribbled the ball on before he gathered and scored.

"All I saw was a lot of space," he said. "I was waiting for the whistle because I thought something was wrong but then I heard Los [Carlos Spencer] yelling, 'play on' so I did."

Young flanker Daniel Braid had butted bodies with Marty Holah for much of his debut final.

"I thought last week was good against Canterbury but this was something else," the 21-year-old said. "I just went out and emptied the tank like we were told."

Sitting serenely away from some of the chaos was Spencer, one of the senior pros who added to his collection of winners' medals. His performance had been sound, but he was more pleased for the youngsters in the squad who had shown massive skill and determination in the last month. His attempted trick kick from his own line had been a none-too-flash attempt to find touch but otherwise he was content.

Another five-eighths sauntered past. Grant Fox had a coaching gold to match the gold he got as a player in 1993.

"This team has grown immeasurably," Fox said. "We dreamed of this but we are ahead of where we thought we might be. We thought a top-four finish would be good, but these blokes have done extra well."

One who had been there, done that was technical analyst Graham Henry, whose job was to study opposition tactics and form plans to counteract them. A significant part of the deal was organising Auckland's defence.

"It involves desire, technique and policy and while we were not at our best in this game, we stacked either side of the tackle area and nullified what Waikato were trying to do from first phase," Henry said.

Henry's input has been already widely appreciated and he will continue with the Blues next season.