Another piece of Spencer magicIt was yet another impressive display by Carlos with his attacking, defense and positional kicking display during Saturdays comprehensive win by Auckland over Waikato to take out the 2002 NPC title. On top of this, Carlos added to his try tally after another sprint around a Waikato defender kept the opposition guessing as to what he would do until it was far too late. The third of six tries to an Auckland team on fire.
Most would say the his spot in the All Balck squad was secure well before Saturday nights game, particularly given the comprehensive fashion he outplayed every other first five-eighth in the country during the NPC.
Well done Carlos, back in the black jersey where you belong. Woe betide the poor Welsh, poms & frogs who stand in his way.
The backline general Carlos Spencer outplayed his opposite number in comprehensive fashion in last nights 29-23 beating of Canterbury to put Auckland in the finals of the NPC.
The scoreline actually flattered the All Black studded Canterbury team with the maestro of back line play, Mr Spencer, playing with the opposition with his trademark dummies, sleight of hand and darting runs. The split second uncertainty created in the minds of what is usually the best defensive team in the country resulted in a five try haul to Auckland and a shock win (a shock to Cantabrians anyway) to an under-rated 'A' team.
So, with the AB first-five incumbant (Mehrtens) totally out-played and other pretenders like Hill carrying injuries the only question is "Can Mitchell dare to leave the best first-five in the country out of the All Blacks?"
Regardless of the result of the NPC final, it would be a complete travesty if this were to occur once again.
Another piece of Spencer magic
Auckland swaggered through the doors of the Last Chance Saloon, blasting Wellington out of the way in the shootout for the semis.
Auckland controlled huge passages of the game, their forwards repeating the vigorous progress they delivered last week against Otago, giving Carlos Spencer time to direct the tempo and direction of this sudden-death match.
To crown their work, Auckland scored two superb late tries, Doug Howlett sliding in for his second as Spencer embarrassed Jonah Lomu with a grubber-kick down the blind, and lanky lock Ali Williams grabbing an intercept and sprinting 55m for a superb touchdown.
It was a typical Auckland Wellington tussle until the end when the Auckland forwards took control and the game disappeared from Wellington in 10 chaotic minutes. Spencer showing the usual brilliance that we have consistently seen this year jigged and danced to the line, and Howlett and Justin Collins added the others.
Let’s see you try to ignore that one Mitchell.
It was punishing and such intensity not only shocked Otago but also left them bewildered. They simply hadn't expected it.
Behind the forward unit Spencer's genius was given full rein and he had the Otago backline constantly guessing where he was about to bob up next.
In the midfield 20-year-old Sam Tuitupou benefited enormously. He was an assassin who might just as well had a samurai sword in his hands when he cut down opposition ball-runners. And every now and then he inserted his innate ability to beat a would-be challenger off either foot.
Coach Wayne Pivac said Spencer's game was pivotal in the victory. "He is out best first five-eighths, our best fullback and probably out best second five-eighths," Pivac said, "and he has won games for us on his own."
AUCKLAND 50 OTAGO 26
Just as Waikato did with David Hill when they needed to make a move in the NPC, Auckland used the same formula when they reintroduced Carlos Spencer to first five-eighths.
Spencer remains an exasperating talent in New Zealand rugby, a player with more creative skills than most, but one who can ignore the basics at his team's peril as well.
It is almost like he gets bored with the basics, he does not have the patience to work through a swag of phases to make the kill, he wants to deliver the execution pronto.
But against Otago at Eden Park on Saturday, Spencer was able to dovetail the work of a picador and matador as he and Auckland slayed the southern challengers.
The 24-point thrashing continued Auckland's amazing undefeated Eden Park streak against Otago dating back to 1976.
It also has Otago edgy about making the semifinals. After entering the weekend in second place they failed to take a point and if they repeat that in their Ranfurly Shield challenge against Canterbury this weekend while Auckland and Wellington both pick up points, they could miss the final four.
When Waikato played Auckland they brought Hill back into their side over Derek Maizey and also gave him the goalkicking role ahead of the well-performed Bruce Reihana.
It was a long-term view, the choice of a running five-eighths who also had the variety of a strong tactical kicking game.
Auckland used Lee Stensness, but his limited kicking game was exposed and the backline hit too easily in defence. If they were to make the final four and pose a threat there had to be a change.
Spencer had been playing with some flair and solidity at fullback but on Saturday he was asked to control the backline as he has in most of his 85 games for Auckland.
"Carlos is our best first-five, there is no doubt about that," co-coach Wayne Pivac said. "He is our best fullback and he might be our best second-five, who knows we could go on a bit further but he is a real talent. He won games for us on his own last year and in the past at first five and I thought he had a really good game."
Spencer's opening bomb delivered a try, his punting found heaps of territory and his running and passing unzipped the Otago defence. He brought the full repertoire.
If Spencer created much of the mayhem, he was allowed to by a tight five which went to work, a forward pack led by Kees Meeuws, Keven Mealamu and Nick White which brought some fizz after being dead flat against Waikato just a week ago.
Ali and Bryce Williams controlled the lineouts, the loosies Daniel Braid, Angus MacDonald and Xavier Rush were omnipresent. That delighted coach Pivac but he is still dealing with form fluctuations from his forwards.
He cited inexperience as a factor but new blindside flanker Angus MacDonald was impressive, shifting opponents out at the breakdown, leaping in the lineout and showing potent attacking runs. He and Braid, sons of former All Black locks Hamish MacDonald and Gary Braid, have delivered their NZ Colts reputation to Auckland.
The new boys in the backline were also impressive. Brent Ward was safe and ran with elan from fullback while Sam Tuitupou was a belting defender.
Against an Otago side with some experienced forwards, it was a significant result. Otago started without Neil Brew, Byron Kelleher and Filipo Levi, who were all late withdrawals with minor injuries, but they were caned.
They have struggled to victory in several games this season, they lack rhythm in the backs and if some of their forwards think they are going to be All Blacks again they need to do more.
"It was very important after two losses on the trot," Pivac said of his side.
"It all started at setpiece, I think our lineout went pretty well and the turnover ball is where you can hurt teams and I think that was evident today."
After an eight-tries-to-three victory, Auckland will have regained some of the belief that was dented against Waikato. With no sign of serious injury, they will also have asked some difficult selection questions with the weekend rearrangement reviving the spark, which will be needed against Wellington on Friday.
For Otago, it was shabby dress-rehearsal for their shield challenge, a day when reputations were dimmed. They will get up for Canterbury but they needed that on Saturday to break a 26-year Eden Park jinx and confirm a semifinal position.
Otago did not turn up right from the first kick put up by Spencer. " They were second all day and obviously very disappointed.
Turning with a 20-point halftime deficit, but with the advantage of the wind, Otago thought they could reverse the misery.
It got worse as Auckland cruised through as Doug Howlett completed his hat trick.
The 2002 Super 12 season was yet another good one for Carlos. He consistently showed the sort of skills and dexterity that should have secured him a permanent test spot in the All Blacks. Added to this, he managed to play successfully in both the 1st 5/8 and full back roles, proving again his talent and maturity when it comes to the game of rugby.
O.K. So we will once again be forced to wonder at the mental state of the current All Black coach and wonder how on earth the AB’s will have any show of beating the likes of Austarlia, South Africa and England without the talents of Carlos.
In the interim, we can reflect on a fantastic Super 12 season by "Los" and wonder what might have been....
Once again the brilliance of Carlos showed the way in the beating of the Stormers on Friday night to place the Blues in the top four (albeit briefly) for the first time in the 2002 Super 12.
A tradmark "no-look" inside pass from Carlos to Rico Gear set up the most meorable try by Shoemark which broke the back of the Stormers. This was followed up shortly by a try by Carlos himself by toeing through a loose ball from a Stormers error.
The maturity and dexterity displayed by Carlos has once again confirmed that he is the form first 5/8 of the competition.
An electrifying Carlos Spencer showed devastating form to take the Blues to a 37-30 win over the Chiefs in a try-filled Super 12 match at Eden Park on the 23rd March. Both sides took home bonus points tonight, and Spencer at fullback was on fire for the Blues.
The cowbells of the Chiefs supporters were soon silenced when speed demon Spencer tore through the Chiefs defence, and fired to Doug Howlett who crossed the line for the Blues.
Blues halfback Mark Robinson was next to benefit from another lethal Spencer run when he crossed the line and James Arlidge added the two. The Blues were back in front, Blues centre Rico Gear scored the game’s fourth try in 20 minutes, again thanks to a little Spencer magic.
Carlos looked for his own try with a burst from halfway, but the television replay showed he had lost the ball forward over the line. A bonus points for the Blues came courtesy of Doug Howlett, fed for the second time by man of the moment, Spencer.
One can only wonder again at what John Mitchells think was when we put David Hill from the Chiefs into the All Black squad ahead of Carlos. Surely he has now seen the error of his ways and will be seeking to include Carlos back in the squad as soon as he is able. This must now beg the question - was Mitchell right in thinking that Spencers’ future lies at fullback, or is it as Grant Fox maintains that Carlos can cut them apart regardless of what position he plays in when the forwards have produced some "go-forward" rather than placing him on the back foot the whole game.
The pre-season signs were there and sure enough, the predictions came true. Carlos is back to his best and has demonstrated this in emphatic style by directing the Blues backline to a 60 - 7 point thrashing of the Wellington Hurricanes in the opening round of the Super 12 at the Wellington Cake Tin. The backline was well served by Mark Robinson who mainly curbed his penchant for wanting to run and lose contact. Instead he preferred to serve it on a plate for Carlos Spencer and let loose the genius that Spencer has and indeed demonstrated in this victory.
Brilliantly timed short passes by Carlos set up two of the Blues tries, while some classic Carlos goose-stepping kept the opposition guessing long enough for the backline general to give his speedy wingers enough space to leave the hapless Hurricanes beaten in their wake.
But not only was Spencer the ringmaster, his goal-kicking talents landed eight from nine for 18 points.
It is the biggest score the Hurricanes have ever conceded in the Super 12 and they are still yet to beat the Blues in the seven year history of the competition.
Even after the first two warm up Super 12 matches for the Blues, Carlos is looking like the gamebreaker of the competition. After playing an instrumental role in the beating of the Chiefs, the combination of Carlos & the Blues back line easily dispatched the hapless Waratahs. The extracts below from the NZ Herald rugby writers sum it up as well as Dawnikins can in this report on the downing of the Chiefs…."Howlett and Caucaunibuca were lethal while they lasted. Aided more than a little by the brilliant skills of Carlos Spencer at first five-eighths they demonstrated exceptional speed and an innate ability to beat their opposites and score tries."
"But it was the silky skills of Spencer than held much of the crowd’s attention. He set up Howlett’s first try when 10 metres from his own line he broke clear with an outrageous dummy and gave Howlett a perfectly timed pass and a clear run of 60 metres for a try under the bar. None of the Chiefs’ defenders even bothered to chase him. Then an Urlich tackle in the centre of the ground provided good ball for Spencer who sent the ball along the chain for Caucaunibuca to score wide out.
The third try came from a build-up 30 metres out. Spencer made a half break and with a deft pass inside sent Howlett on a scything run to score under the bar. It was vintage Spencer. He later moved to fullback to give Arlidge a run at pivot but might as well have gone to sleep at the back so little of the action did he see. But added to his running skills were those of goal-kicker and he didn’t let the side down with five from six, one a great effort from wide out." We can only guess at how short a time it takes for Mitchell to wake up and see how senseless (no doubt caused by by the ringing of Mooloo cow bells) he was to leave Carlos out of the All Blacks.
