Northland too good up front

Northland's forwards proved that size isn't everything by taking it to a much bigger North Harbour pack in their 31-21 win
in Kaitaia yesterday.
The young pack were willing to take the hits with the ball in hand and made good ground around the ruck as a result, particularly in the first spell. They stood up defensively as well and worked hard at the clean out, giving their backs every chance to attack with quick, clean ball.
 Perhaps, most surprisingly - after a shocking start to the season last year - the Taniwha's lineout barely missed a beat in the entire game. Their scrum set-piece was also competitive during the game after a couple of early hiccups.
Lachie Munro - one of the few remaining fit members of Bryce Woodward's 'players' leadership' group and who therefore was handed the skipper's armband for the match - said the win was based on the work of the forwards.
"I think it was a very promising performance, the forwards built the platform and did the things we've been asking them to and went forward with determination and the backs were able to go wide and then roll the ball in behind their [backline] defence and that came off for us," he said.
After Jared Payne injured his thumb in the lead-up to the match, the backline at times looked a little toothless, with Harbour's drift defence coping well with their attempts to penetrate it.
Instead, the Taniwha backs went to Plan B and used chip kicks in behind to score tries. Simon Munro, playing at fullback, regathered his own chip kick to score the first try in the first 10 minutes before Luke Hamilton took full advantage of Harbour's disorganisation some 15 minutes later, after a midfield turnover, to kick into empty space in front of Mikaele Tuu'u, who gathered to score the second try. Both tries were converted and a penalty added to
lead 17-0 at half-time.
North Harbour started the second spell  much better and within five minutes veteran Ron Cribb crashed over for a try and when Alex Woonton added another nearing the three-quarter mark, the Northland coach made changes bringing on some more experienced heads.
Mateo Malupo went a long way to earning himself a contract with 15 minutes to go by wrong-footing the Harbour defence and scoring in the corner from a set-piece, to re-establish a buffer before Tim Dow gladly accepted a pass from a Harbour player - while standing in their backline - and took off for Northland's final try of the match.
Harbour's Erwin Finau completed the scoring by jinking through a tired defence with time almost up on the clock.

 "I think today showed how much work we've done to this point - we're well organised, fairly fit and robust, our set-piece was pretty good ... but you've got to remember it was a pre-season game and there wasn't the same kind of intensity today that we'll find in the ITM Cup," said Taniwha coach Bryce Woodward.
Prop Justin Davies' horrendous luck continued. After two years waiting in the wings with injuries, he was injured again yesterday - with initial indications that he could be gone for the season.