RUGBY - Coach shuffling to make top draw

It might be the Mark Anscombe version of the lolly scramble, the game where everyone takes part, but only the rugged get the sweets.
When Anscombe turns up at Windsor Park near Rangitoto College in Takapuna on Saturday with his new Northland rugby squad, 25 of the 27 strong troupe have been promised a trot against North Harbour.
In an effort to try and determine who has, or conversely, has not, got the gumption to handle an Air NZ Cup campaign, Anscombe has decided to rotate players and test a variety of combinations in the trial game.
He isn't even going to confirm a starting line-up. He is simply heading into battle with his extended team sheet at his disposal.
Some of his older cast members, the David Holwells and Justin Collins of this world, won't necessarily see much action as a result. Their rugby pedigree is well documented.
The intrigue on Saturday will instead focus on imported hooker Francis Smith, the quality of halfbacks James Rodley and Kaino Kaino and sorting out a jumble of inside backs trying to garner favour with backs coach Bruce Robertson.
"We will be using about 25 players and we will be using various combinations during the game to try and shuffle through a few different options.
"How we are covering tighthead prop, halfback and the midfield and what we do there are what we are focusing on for the moment," Anscombe said.
It's an important juncture for Anscombe, with budget restraints looming as an obstacle to plans to add loan players from Auckland and North Harbour to the championship squad.
While the Harbour squad will arrive with game time under their belt, the Northland pre-season programme has been shortened as part of the cost-cutting regime. Not that Anscombe is about to allow such external influences impact on his team.
"That's the nature of the beast, we can't do anything about that side of things. In the end, we have got three games in the pre-season and I am comfortable with that," he said.
"The key is to get everyone on the park, some key players will not get a lot of game time, but we need to see if we need to look for some more players.
"Personally, I don't think there's many players outside of this group really, but there might be a couple of players who could force the [selection] issue."
The squad has been at the pre-season training camp at Taipa and will remain in full training mode.
North Harbour, coached by Wayne Pivac, will arrive with imported first five-eighths Jimmy Gopperth and have signed London Wasps' Dave Walder, Bath's Martin Purdy and Munster's Jeremy Manning to play in this year's championship.
The game kicks off at 4.30pm.