McLean Park will be rocking for this clash between the sides second and third on the ladder, with one of the biggest crowds since the Ranfurly Shield era of the late 1960s expected to be on hand.
VENUE & TIME: McLean Park, Napier, Thursday August 30, 19.05 NZT.
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 70 – Hawke's Bay 16, Auckland 50, Draws 4.
LAST TIME: June 5, 1993 (Auckland) – Auckland 69-31 Hawke's Bay.
WALKING WOUNDED: Peter Russell has named the same team and reserves that cleaned Counties-Manukau out last week – Jason Shoemark recovering from a knock that threatened to rule him out - while Troy Flavell misses the game with a hamstring strain. That loss could be a big one, as he shored up a shonky Auckland lineout last week, making nine takes and dominating the aerial battles.
FORM: Both teams go into this match with fine records, even if neither would have been thrilled with its second-half effort last week. Hawke's Bay has been the surprise of the competition although it is the punters outside the region, not those from the Bay, who have been caught on the hop. Despite a win against a bumbling Counties-Manukau side last week the Magpies will have been working hard during the week and it is a fair bet that the tackle bags have been getting a good work-out. Auckland was not particularly impressive last week either, and was perhaps fortunate that Taranaki missed several chances to take points from Auckland errors. Auckland was guilty of playing too much across the park rather than running straight, a problem that Pat Lam will surely have addressed this week.
WHO'S HOT: It's probably easier to say that every player on both teams is in decent form and start from there. Just about every individual clash will be worth watching but we would highlight Danny Lee, Karl Lowe and Shoemark as Hawke's Bay's most influential players and Jay Williams, Daniel Braid and Sam Tuitupou as danger men for Auckland. Williams has not been used much this season on Auckland's ball but, with a strong opposing lineout, might be called a few times as the night wears on. Shoemark and Sam Giddens will really need to be organised on defence to contain Tuitupou and Ben Atiga, but the Aucklanders will also need to keep a close eye on their opponents.
WE THINK: This match may turn on one factor – Hawke's Bay likes to play a structured game and does it well, but Auckland will try to take that base away and impose its more off-the-cuff style. We think Auckland will do enough to claim the points but, mindful of our poor tipping record in Hawke's Bay's matches, wouldn't put the rent on it.
TEAMS:
Hawke's Bay: 1 – Fa'akanua Taumalolo, 2 - Hika Elliot, 3 – Tom Symes, 4 – Matt Egan, 5 – Will Crutchley, 6 - Michael Johnson, 7 – Karl Lowe, 8 – Grant Webb, 9 - Danny Lee (captain), 10 – Matt Berquist, 11 - Zac Guildford, 12 - Sam Giddens, 13 – Jason Shoemark, 14 – Justin Wilson, 15 - Ben Batger.
Reserves: 16 – Jamie Muir, 17 – Arden David, 18 – Lua Lokotui, 19 – George Naoupu, 20 – Chris Eaton, 21 – Aayden Clarke, 22 – Israel Dagg.
Auckland: 1 – Chris Heard, 2