Backs prove the difference

The South Zone's classy backline helped the senior men's side to a convincing 47-20 win over their North Zone counterparts in the Johnny Issacs Northland Maori Rugby Tournament.

North Zone and South Zone Maori battled it out in the curtain raiser to the Super 15 warm-up game between the Blues and Hurricanes at Whangarei's Toll Stadium on Saturday, with players striving for selection in the Northland Maori squad, named at the aftermatch function.

The South Zone were dominant in terms of back play, with inside centre Warren Dunn finding space and Brook Gilmore showing his speed, along with Troy Gilbert and Matt Wright, Northland Maori selector-coach Donny Stevenson said.

Loosies Rukawai Waata and Brent Murray also had big games, he added.

"The South Zone were the fitter team, and their backline was very good. Their whole backline were selected in the Northland squad which is evidence of their skill," Stevenson said.

In contrast, North Zone muscled and grunted their way around the park, with a huge effort from the forward pack, built around Justin Davies and Buster Tahere.

"The teams had two contrasting styles, North Zone dominated play through their forward pack and their locks ... and in the second half, South Zone's fitness and class showed and the backline ran rampant," Stevenson said.

Stevenson, with Peter Nock and ITM Cup coach Adriaan Ferris, selected a 29-man Northland Maori squad to prepare for upcoming games against North Harbour Maori, on February 18, at Mahurangi, and against Auckland on February 25, in Auckland. Northland will then travel to Cambridge for a tournament against other Northern Maori teams, and from this tournament, a Northern Region Maori side will be selected.

Stevenson said a large squad was chosen to cover the four weeks of Maori rugby - including next weekend, when the squad will assemble for a training camp at Kaeo - to ensure Northland has plenty of players available for each fixture.

He added having ITM Cup coach Adriaan Ferris involved in Maori rugby this year was a bonus.

"There are some guys in this squad pushing for Northland representative honours, and it's good to have Adriaan showing his commitment to the team ... it gives the guys something else to play for," Stevenson said.

The Under-20 Colts, Under-16 and Under-14 North Zone teams also played their respective South Zone teams in matches held at Old Boys Rugby Club on Saturday.

The Under-14s drew 17-17, while the South Zone had a 24-10 win over North Zone. The Colts game was close, with the South Zone just edging North Zone out by one try. A Northland Maori Colts squad, to be coached by Miles Ferris, was also selected after their encounter, and the Colts will play North Harbour and Auckland before the senior side in the coming weeks.