RUGBY: Game today, Wedding tomorrow

It isn't often that you hear a craggy-faced rugby lock forward expressing heartfelt thanks to his Mum then acknowledging the love of his life.
Not in a pre-match interview anyway.
But then not many lock forwards are like Dan Goodwin and are silly enough to organise a wedding smack in the middle of a representative rugby campaign.
Goodwin will play at lock for Northland in a crucial Air NZ Cup game against Bay of Plenty tomorrow night, and gets married to his fiancee Heather on Friday.
``I haven't planned anything, I have left it up to the girls. My Mum has been awesome and Heather has as well. I just pretty much turn up,' Goodwin said.
``They have been awesome actually, all that stress and stuff of the wedding I have no idea about,' Goodwin said.
Just as well, otherwise Goodwin would be heading into tomorrow night's fixture with quite a few concerns. There are the wedding photos for a start, where Goodwin will be required to be at his sartorial best.
``I don't know about that, I think a few scrapes and bruises are inevitable really,' he said.
Then there's the party afterwards, which includes a handful of his Northland team mates who will need to be wary of their rugby commitments the next day.
``The wedding is up at my brother's rugby club Greerton Marist (in Tauranga) on Friday afternoon. There are a few of the Northland boys who are going to it but they are a bit worried because they have to be back for training on Saturday,' he said.
But while planning for the wedding might be off his radar, ask him how to cook up a plan for the game tomorrow night and Goodwin has a feast of ideas.
Since transferring from Bay of Plenty and joining Northland last year, he has become one of the pillars in the forward pack. He played every championship game last season and walked straight back into the starting role when he returned from a season of rugby in Rome over the summer.
He will be a crucial cast member once more for the match tomorrow night.
The game is looming large on the horizon, a battle between two teams who have been wrestling for bragging rights for years. They might not be rated as competition heavyweights, but the fixture is poised as a potential season-breaker for both.
``I haven't really thought too much about the wedding but I am looking forward to the game. I still have quite a few mates down there and there's a bit riding on it. This could be the turning point for our season here.
``We have done really well to stay in it in the last couple of games, but we haven't won so it doesn't mean anything. We have been working hard on our pick-and-gos but our scrum still has a bit of work to do even though we have improved.'
After two frustrating efforts against North Harbour and Otago, Northland coach Mark Anscombe has made some changes to his team. David Holwell is back from injury and picks up his No.10 jersey as expected, forcing Dan Bowden back into the No.12 spot and pushing Leo Taliu to the bench.
Fetu Vainikolo has been dropped to the bench as well, a tentative display under the high ball against Otago opening the door for Glenn Martin to start.
``This is huge for us, we just have to win this game. If we can put a bit of doubt into their (Bay of Plenty's) mind early we might be in with a very good shot here,' Anscombe said.
And a shout afterwards, courtesy of the groom.