Northland Taniwha ready for ITM Cup

Northland players and coaching staff see the ITM Cup season as an opportunity to do great things.
Ambitions were running high during a training session at Mangawhai Sports Complex ahead of Northland's first pre-season game against North Harbour at Wellsford tomorrow.
The Taniwha went into a five-day camp on Wednesday to put the finishing touches on a 10-week build-up to this hit out.
Head coach Adriaan Ferris said the camp was also an exercise to create a closer team unit ahead of an intense ITM Cup campaign.
"The team camp is a chance for us to set goals, redefine what to achieve this season, and bring the boys closer. Most of the squad have been training together for 10 weeks now, they have been training well and have a good focus about the job ahead, and finally after a long time together, they can put all their hard work to use," Ferris said.
He will play all of the 24-strong squad tomorrow giving many of the young, less experienced contingent a first crack at playing this level of rugby.
"The boys are pumped to play. They've been operating really well and responding to us as coaches. Our job has been made easier as they are a great bunch of guys who work really hard. We really do have the opportunity to do great things this season."
Ferris predicted play would not be perfect tomorrow, typical of a pre-season match, but the potential of the talent was impressive - despite the team missing three Super 15 players, Lachie Munro, Rene Ranger and Jared Payne. The Blues trio are playing in the Super Rugby semifinal against the Reds in Queensland tomorrow night, and depending on the outcome, may be available for Northland's first ITM Cup game against Tasman on July 15 at Toll Stadium.
But if the Blues win, the players could miss Northland's first two matches because of the New Zealand Rugby Players' Association compulsory two-week, stand-down period.
Second five-eighth Aaron Bancroft will skipper the side tomorrow in Payne's absence.
New recruit Wayne Ngaluafe, a former NZ Under-19 half back on loan from Auckland, along with former Taniwha lock Marty Veale, who recently returned from a two year stint playing for the London Wasps, eased their way into the squad and were rearing to go.
Like all the teams at this early stage, North Harbour were an unknown quantity, but Ferris said they were in the same boat as Northland for tomorrow's game, missing their Super 15 players.
"It's our first game and we will be trying to put in place patterns and an understanding of how we want to operate as a team."
While the build-up to this point of the season has had its challenges, Ferris and assistant coach Derren Whitcombe were relishing their new roles, and were as excited as the players about the season getting under way.
"It is a challenge being our first year and all. But we're both excited and have put in a lot of hard work into this job to date - that will be assessed along with how the players perform tomorrow. It's been a huge learning experience," Ferris said.
Tomorrow's pre-season match against North Harbour kicks off at 2.30pm, at Wellsford's Centennial Park. The curtain raiser between Wellsford and Hora Hora kicks off at 12.30pm.