RUGBY - Anscombe: Bring it on

Three weeks ago Mark Anscombe wasn't too sure what was coming. Now the coach of the Northland rugby team is keen to see what eventuates.
A new-look Northland rugby team are poised to launch into the Air NZ Cup when they host Waikato at Okara Park tomorrow night - with three players set to make their championship debuts in the starting team and another five waiting for their chance on the bench.
But after heading into the pre-season campaign a little anxious, Anscombe is now upbeat about his team after dispatching three opponents in the last three weeks and discovering some unheralded talent to bolster his squad in a brief but effective preparation period.
"If you has asked me a month ago I would have given you a different reply, but right now I feel quite happy with how we are sitting," Anscombe said.
"There was not much to get excited about three or four weeks ago but it has unfolded quickly since then.
"The strength we have [now] is that we have experience, we have got old hands who can quickly point the younger blokes in the right direction and that is something quite invaluable in the competition this year," he said.
It is an observation that can be quickly justified by reading the Northland team sheet for tomorrow night's encounter, and comparing it to Waikato's.
For Northland's three debutantes there are seven in the Waikato starting side and another four on the reserves bench. The lads from Mooloo country arrive with a new coach as well, Tony Hanks.
In terms of big game experience, Northland wins with room to spare.
Hooker Francis Smith excluded - the front rower on loan from Auckland - the Northland forward pack has a gnarly edge of experience with Bronson Murray an ideal anchorman at tighthead prop and locks Marty Veale and Dan Goodwin no strangers to representative combat.
Skipper Justin Collins is the obvious talisman of the loose forward trio and Holwell of the backline, but the attacking dangers of wingers Rene Ranger and Fetu Vainikolo suddenly add an unpredictable edge to the squad.
But enjoying success in pre-season games has never been a reliable measuring stick come championship fixtures.
"On the one hand we are happy with the progress," Anscombe said.
"The training camp was very useful and then winning three games in a row warming up can't really be faulted. But then you are also thinking `well how strong were the teams we played' and you end up thinking `just how good are we'.
"Did we win because the opposition wasn't too good or are we better than are we giving ourselves credit for?"
In terms of testing Northland's apparent resurgence, Waikato are the perfect team to open the campaign. Liam Messam, Tom Harding, new All Blacks lock Kevin O'Neill and front row hardman Alec de Malmanche give the Waikato pack a formidable core. Sosene Anesi and Dwayne Sweeney are dangerous backline attackers.
It has been a long time between Northland victory drinks in a post match debrief after playing Waikato, too. The last time Northland beat Waikato was in 1999.
* WAIKATO V NORTHLAND
Dwayne Sweeney 15 Jared Payne Sosene Anesi 14 Rene Ranger Jackson Willison 13 Aiden Dewes Roimata Hansell-Pune 12 Leo Taliu Tim Mikkelson 11 Fetu Vainikolo Callum Bruce 10 David Holwell Malcolm Barnes 9 James Rodley Liam Messam (c) 8 Blair Urlich Tom Harding 7 John Cocker Faifili Levave 6 Justin Collins (c) Kevin O'Neill 5 Marty Veale Toby Lynn 4 Dan Goodwin Aled de Malmanche 3 Bronson Murray Oli Avei 2 Francis Smith Hikairo Forbes 1 Tony Coughlan RESERVES: Kalem Chan Boon, Josh Hohneck, Kent Fife, Jordan Smiler, David Bason, Trent Renata, James Kamana. Tyler Ashworth, Justin Davies, Roy Griffin, Joel McKenty, Breyton Helleur, Derek Carpenter, Damian Fakafanua.