Free-flowing Makos get serious for Auckland [Fairfax]
The Tasman Makos have dealt with their first two National Provincial Championship opponents convincingly, picking up a maximum 10 points in the process. Now it gets serious.
While taking little away from the challenge championship sides Hawke's Bay and Bay of Plenty have presented, they possess nothing like the history or firepower of Auckland, the Makos' opponents at Eden Park on Sunday.
The 15-time NPC division one champions and Air NZ Cup winners in 2007 pose a massive challenge for the Makos, whose free-flowing style made them one of the entertainers of the competition in 2013. Tasman have continued to rack up the points, scoring 91 in two matches, but were disappointed with their performance despite winning 56-27 over the Steamers on Sunday.
Head coach Kieran Keane didn't pull any punches.
"I think it actually ended up being a good lesson for us early in the season. There was nothing in our game, other than our set piece strikes, that worked for us.
"We went into our shells, we had people playing average games [and] had no respect for the ball. We had a team at our mercy and we coughed it up and we never played with our heads up. So there wasn't a lot we did well as a team."
A similar effort on Sunday will prove fatal.
Auckland have made an uneven start to the competition. First up they were well beaten 48-9 by the pace-setting Canterbury side in Christchurch, but they rebounded quickly to hammer Manawatu 35-7 in Palmerston North last week.
Back home on Eden Park, they will be keen to consolidate and show they are genuine premiership contenders.
The All Blacks selectors have done their bit to help, releasing fullback Charles Piutau, who got game time for Auckland in the last two outings, prop Charlie Faumuina and loosie Steven Luatua for this match as the Rugby Championship takes a week's break.
Despite the Aucklanders beginning to find some combination and form in their last match, coach Paul Feeney is expected to throw his big guns straight back into the fray. Faumuina is likely to start at tighthead with former Makos prop Sam Prattley on the loosehead side. Luatua will slip back into a strong loose forward combination with No 8 Peter Saili and opensider Sean Polwart, while Piutau is expected to wear the No 15 jersey.
Strike power has never been a problem for the men in the blue and white hoops - consistency has.
Unfortunately the Makos have been forced to make changes to their forwards, through injuries and suspension. Lock Alex Ainley is out with a shoulder injury while loosehead prop Tim Perry has to sit out this match after a stomping incident in the Steamers match.They possess some of the most exciting runners in New Zealand rugby, the likes of Piutau, George Moala, Francis Saili and sevens star Ben Lam who, if they get fast, front-foot ball will cut merry capers. But question marks hang over their pack, cruelly outplayed by the Canterbury eight two weeks ago.
Siua Halanukonuka comes in for Perry, while Tevita Cavubati, after two strong showings off the bench, will lock the scrum with Joe Wheeler.
Pete Samu takes Nemani Nagusa's starting position on the flank while Jimmy Cowan will wear the No 9 jersey, replacing Billy Guyton.
Robbie Malneek gets his first start of the season on the left wing for the injured Mitchell Scott while Ben Tyler is out with an ankle sprain.
Coach Keane admits the defections have caused disruption but he's happy with the side that will travel north. "We'll be OK;clearly we could have done without the injuries we've had. It's a test of our depth now. It was always going to be at some stage - it's just happened in week three. It's nothing you can worry about.
"My only concern is that we have had to make so many changes."
"Trying to beat Auckland in Auckland is tough for anybody, least of all us, because it's never been achieved in our short history. I think [Auckland] have started a little averagely and with their All Blacks back they'll certainly be targeting this game and us to get back on track."
The introduction of Cowan into the starting line-up is reward for the former All Black's efforts off the bench.
"He's got the starting position on merit and form," said Keane. "I think he's come along way in a short time."
Following their patchy performance in Tauranga, Keane said he and assistant coach Leon MacDonald had addressed some issues that "weren't really coachable".
"That's more about preparation and attitude. I don't think we went up to Bay of Plenty with the right mindset and our game suffered accordingly. Hopefully we don't see a repeat of that."
- The Marlborough Express
