BACK IN THE GAME

Is Auckland rugby back? Try telling the more than 20,000 people who were present during the incredible extra-time Mitre 10 Cup premiership final between Auckland and Canterbury at Eden Park that it isn’t.

On a late afternoon in October which began in warm sunshine but ended in torrential rain, the blue and whites finished over the top of the near perennial competition winners and were crowned worthy champions after the 40-33 extra-time victory.

The seeds to this triumph were planted many months before when new coach Alama Ieremia sat his team down and explained how he would help them make the most of their talents after they were within a whisker of being relegated the year before.

Bear in mind too that many of his players