Lam looking to 'build' in final trial
Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:04
Pat Lam, coach of the defending Air New Zealand Cup champion and Ranfurly Shield holder Auckland, is looking to build on his team's the improved showing in their second Shield defence earlier this week, when Auckland take on Tasman in their final pre-season trial in Nelson on Saturday.
After looking somewhat ordinary in their first Shield defence, a 54-3 victory over a weak Poverty Bay, Auckland produced a better display in the 113-3 midweek walloping of North Otago.
"Our ball control improved greatly and the players showed better understanding of our systems and work rates," Lam said of the second hit-out.
"Tasman will be a step up in intensity, so it will be vital to get our team structures and systems right.
"I am looking for the players to continue to build our structures and game plan, in our final hit-out before the Air NZ Cup," Lam added.
Meanwhile, after two weeks of tinkering in pre-season outings, the Tasman Makos starting line-up gets its first airing on Saturday.
It's appropriate that the province's leading players should get to test their skills against the defending ANZ Cup champions and Ranfurly Shield holders, Auckland.
However, Tasman's starters, again playing as the Tasman Buccaneers, will be together only for the first 40 minutes as they continue their preparations for next Thursday's ANZ Cup opener against Bay of Plenty in Blenheim.
Tasman's assistant coach, Bevan Cadwallader, said that with such a short turnaround before the Bay of Plenty game, it was important for the players to preserve some energy.
"Bay of Plenty are traditionally a pretty physical team so we want to be sharp against them," Cadwallader told The Nelson Mail.
He's been satisfied with the squad's two previous hit-outs, a 31-19 win over Canterbury and even last week's 7-30 loss to Counties Manukau, with several positive features coming out of the Pukekohe defeat. There's a more specific focus to Saturday's contest, though.
"We've really just been working on fine-tuning all our systems. That's what pre-season games are about - it's about getting our systems right, getting to know each other, creating combinations and just putting it into the game.
"Obviously [Auckland's] going to be of a pretty high calibre, so that'll be a good test of what we've been working on.
"We dropped away a little bit in terms of intensity against Counties after such a good one against Canterbury, so really we've got to get back to the level we played against Canterbury and add something to that."
A feature of the Buccaneers' line-up is Kade Poki in his preferred position at centre. Despite being used solely as a wing for Tasman over the past two seasons, Poki has played most of his young career at centre, including a starring role with the New Zealand Under-20 team at this year's International Rugby Board (IRB) Junior World Championship.
It will also be prop Ben May's first pre-season outing for the side and a chance to join forces with Crusaders prop Ben Franks in a strengthened front row.
"Those two are both pretty excited," said Cadwallader. "They're two of our pros. They're great mates and they push each other hard anyway, so they'll enjoy getting back together."
A second string of players will take the field for the second half, when Cadwallader hopes his players will be able to maintain some intensity.
"The key for us is that we don't drop our standards as the game goes on. We operate as a squad and that starting 15 is our perceived starting team for the following week. But, if someone performs well, positions are always up for grabs.
"The guys are all working hard at training and we've got good competition for spots and that's good for us, really."
Teams:
Tasman Makos: 15 Robbie Malneek, 14 Blair Cook, 13 Kade Poki, 12 Andrew Goodman
(captain), 11 Afeleki Pelenise, 10 Miah Nikora, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i, 8 Mark Bright, 7 Jack Lam, 6 Jonathan Poff, 5 Alex Ainley, 4 Will Crutchley, 3 Ben Franks, 2 Dan Perrin, 1 Ben May.
Replacements - from: Craig Moore, Sakaria Taulafo, Quentin MacDonald, Rowan O'Gorman, Manu Leiataua, Tristan Moran, Siaki Peti, Hamish Cochrane, Dan Hyatt, Steve Jackson, Glen Gregory, Shane Christie, Karl Leary, Lua Vailoaloa, Shaun Begg, James Marshall, Steve Sasagi, Rudolf Meredith, Mike Pehi, Sete Sauqaqa, Riki Tukaki.
Auckland: 15 Isaia Toeava, 14 Jarek Goebel, 13 Winston Stanley, 12 Ben Atiga, 11 David Smith, 10 Lachie Munro, 9 Grayson Hart, 8 Chris Lowrey, 7 Dean Budd, 6 Kurtis Haiu, 5 Jay Williams, 4 Stanley Haukinima, 3 Nick White (captain), 2 Pauliasi Manu, 1 Paea Fa'anunu.
Replacements: 16 Tom McCartney, 17 Tevita Mailau, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Peter Saili, 20 Brenton Helleur, 21 Ash Moeke, 22 Mapa
Tuipulotu.
Date: Saturday, July 26
Venue: Trafalgar Park, Nelson
Kick-off: 14.30 (02.30 GMT)
