RUGBY - Coach: Chance to make statement

Fetu Vainikolo is battling a hamstring injury as the Northland rugby team prepare for a battle with Bay of Plenty in Whangarei on Friday night, a match that is poised to be the flashpoint for discontented provincial fans.
Northland Rugby Union officials say a massive groundswell of community support for the union has been unveiled in the wash-up to a decision from the New Zealand Rugby Union to cut Northland from the Air NZ Cup competition next year.
Now the NRU is driving a campaign to round up as many provincial rugby fans as possible, plonk them in the stadium at Okara Park on Friday night and stage a "minute of noise" at the kick-off in a form of protest at the NZRU decision.
Children will be let in to the game free of charge and ground entry is just $5 for the game. But just as the stature of the match begins to dawn on the team, they may be forced to make some changes to cover for injury.
Tongan winger Fetu Vainikolo is still recovering from a hamstring strain suffered while playing Otago in Dunedin at the weekend, flanker Joel McKenty is in doubt with a strained knee, and even David Holwell is still struggling to shake off the effects of a viral infection.
It is looming as a critical week for the NRU on and off the field, and a game Northland coach Mark Anscombe realises will throw his team into the spotlight.
"There has got to be some doubt with Fetu's hammy, but hopefully we will get him on the park. From what I can gather this game is going to be a chance for Northland to make a statement," Anscombe said.
Still puzzled by a strangely sedate Northland effort against Otago at Carisbrook on Friday night, Anscombe was hoping the anticipated walk-up crowd would help fire his team up.
The NRU are hoping for as many as 10,000 spectators on Friday night. If they manage that it will be the biggest crowd at a provincial rugby game in Whangarei in more than a decade.
"If we want to see them [the spectators] again we have got to give them something to remember. There is a bit of excitement in the team about the chance of a big crowd, but it might add a bit of pressure as well," Anscombe said.
The game will doubtless be overshadowed by the ongoing boardroom spat between stoic NZRU staff members and disgruntled NRU administrators, a battle now destined to descend into legal debate.
But the preparations will be key for Anscombe, a week where he will need to ensure his team stays focused on performance on the field and is not distracted by the action off it.
"This game is winnable and if we do then we keep ourselves in the mix for a quarter-final. But if we don't we are going to be down with the bottom two [teams] and in a dogfight from there."