Waikato pledge attack

By CHRIS RATTUE

Waikato coach Ian Foster has promised his side will continue their attacking policies in tomorrow night's NPC final against Auckland.

Waikato were hit with one piece of bad news yesterday as they prepared for the final in front of a sellout 25,000 crowd at Waikato Stadium.

First five-eighths David Hill, one of a host of All Black prospects in the Waikato side, was ruled out after failing a fitness test on his groin injury. Derek Maisey continues in his place.

Maisey was one of the stars of Waikato's early-season run when Hill was out with groin problems, but Waikato might miss Hill's strength, authority and kicking game.

Centre Regan King, the young try-scoring sensation with nine touchdowns in his first NPC season, is given an increasingly good chance of being fit to play after injuring an ankle in the semifinal, although Foster may leave the decision until tomorrow.

If King starts, the Waikato line-up will be unchanged from the one which beat Otago in a superb semifinal at Waikato Stadium.

Waikato have razzle-dazzled their way into the final, averaging 40 points a game. But Auckland have a significantly better defensive record than Waikato this season.

Foster said: "Statistics like that go out the window. It's about winning a game of football, scoring more points than the opposition.

"There are adjustments you make in every game but, overall, we will change nothing.

"We have concentrated on our attack and that has got us to the final and the guys have enjoyed the way we have been playing.

"In saying that, I was very pleased with the way we were able to play conservative spells very effectively during the semifinal. It is not just about attack all the time."

Rookie lock Sean Hohneck, in for the injured Royce Willis, has retained his place and faces another huge test early in his career.

Foster said the semifinal experience would help stand the 2.03m lock in good stead.

"I've no doubt that he would have learned a lot from that experience. I thought in the 45 to 50 minutes he played he did everything we wanted him to do.

"I'm sure he can hardly believe what has happened to him this season - to start your first NPC game in a semifinal is quite something."

Foster seemed to hint that even if King is fit, he might start vice-captain Mark Ranby anyway, although he was coy about that issue.

One benefit would be that if Ranby started, Keith Lowen would return to the centre position he strongly favours over second five-eighths.

Lowen said: "There's more space in the centres and you're really the hit-up man at second-five.

"I've got a new respect for what Mark Ranby does there. You see all the cuts and bruises he gets."

Lowen said Auckland had clearly been the best defensive side Waikato had faced this season. "They run very astute lines there. They don't just have attacking plays, they seem to have defensive plays as well.

"They are strong players but they have a lot of agility."