RUGBY - Hammond gets call as props drop off

Jason Hammond reckons he ran to the dairy the other day.
Just as well, because the 34-year-old front row forward got an unexpected call to arms from the Northland rugby team yesterday and might even trot out in the starting team when they play Tasman in an Air NZ Cup match at Okara Park on Saturday night.
A tragic training accident yesterday saw loosehead prop Justin Davies out for the year with a broken leg. Bronson Murray, the tighthead specialist prop, heads to Wellington tonight staring down the barrel of a two-week stand-down. He is charged with stamping on Taranaki loose forward Scott Waldrom in New Plymouth last weekend.
So Hammond was dialled into the team last night and there is a very strong likelihood his services will be needed on Saturday evening.
"If they need me I'm there, but I can't exactly say my training regime has changed much from what I was doing during the club season," he said.
And what might that training regime consist of?
"Well, not that much actually." he said.
In the circumstances Hammond's name was the most obvious when the propping crisis arrived suddenly yesterday. He was one of the most destructive front-row forwards doing the rounds in club rugby and has a representative pedigree robust enough to handle the big job if he gets it.
His call to arms is hardly ideal, though. The game against Tasman on Saturday has taken on extra significance in the aftermath of Northland's fourth loss from five games last weekend. Like the rest of Northland's home games this season, the fixture needs to attract enough supporters to fill a sizeable chunk of the terraces to keep impetus behind the "Save the Taniwha" campaign.
Last week's on-field effort lacked conviction and mixed an impressive opening 20-minute burst with a sudden lapse in concentration. The lapse cancelled a 10-point lead and the opposition took control with 14-point turn-around.
But the distraction caused by Davies' unfortunate demise and Murray's citation has been underscored by some injury concerns in Auckland. That may yet rob Northland of on-loan prop Tevita Mailau. Anscombe was expecting a yes or no call from Auckland in regard to Mailau today.
"How is it going? How do you think," Anscombe said when asked about preparations this week. "I am happy with the attitude at training, there has been a real effort from everyone to get the heads in the right space, but this stuff going on in the background is hardly helping things."
Anscombe hoped to name his starting team today, but may yet be forced to delay his announcement until all the peripheral issues get sorted.
The only certainty? The need for a box of chocolates and a get-well-soon card for Justin Davies. The prop from Kawakawa was due to have his broken leg repaired in hospital last night.