Ironic.

I find it funny, but not overly so, the way ex-North Harbour players have floundered in their new respective positions within the Auckland scene.

Pat Lam was by no means a great but surely qualifies as a solid and dependable player. His years of experience in the United Kingdom and later in the Republic of Scotland should have set him in good stead for a career in coaching. Not.

Frank Bunce is one of the finest players North Harbour has ever produced and was undoubtedly a great All Black and Samoan representative. He has had more exposure than most to differing coaching regimes and although not totally suited to coaching, must have something to offer.

The indisputable fact that links the two, is that they were both virtually ignored by their home union of Auckland and only when they crossed the Harbour became the players we know today.

Yet they go back to the place from where they were discarded, only to come out once again as scapegoats and “transitional” folk in the puppet show called “Auckland Rugby”.

Why is it that people of apparant repute turn their backs on the union that made them what they are and go back to the one that spurned them like the devil himself?

The answer must lie somewhere in between money and the misguided notion that participating in a Super 12 franchise union will enable them to advance careers which they are at best very fortunate to have. Sadly for people who should know better, the professional era will very swiftly discard the weak and reward the strong. Reputations count for nothing and if they believe that they are putting something back into the game then I suggest they go back to their local club. In Frank’s case this is Helensville, a club that probably never saw him unless he was on Sky.

Wake up fools, Auckland will cast you aside as fast as they did the first time.

I see Eric Rush, another Aucklander who was deemed average and blossomed on his arrival in Takapuna, has become the Auckland Seven’s coach. While he is obviously being groomed for the National position his allegiance with a union who let him go also appears misguided. Research indicates that he still pays his subs for his club of TRFC, which is admirable; we can only hope that his fate is not that of Bunce.

Walter Little appears to be the shining light of this unfortunate saga. A man brought up in Tokoroa but for all intent and purposes a North Shore citizen has found time to put his knowledge back into his club called Glenfield. We hear on the grapevine that Blair “Lambie” Larsen is doing the same at Takapuna.

These examples should be held up as people doing what is right rather than what is right for their wallets.

While we take comfort in Jed Rowlands who brought Auckland to its knees, the fact that seeing one of our own doing it is somewhat hollow. Although amusing, sort of.