RUGBY - Keep the faith - Holwell appeals

David Holwell couldn't explain it either.
Missing two penalty goals, both from what could loosely be termed "bread and butter" positions during an Air NZ Cup rugby match at Okara Park at the weekend, had only underscored the subdued performance of the team against Tasman.
But the 33-year-old Northland rugby star reckons he can make up for the oversight this weekend. He just hopes the Northland rugby faithful have the fortitude to turn up and watch Northland meet the ever-powerful Canterbury team at Okara Park this Friday night.
"I had a shocker. I dunno it was just one of those games. I missed two easy kicks and threw an intercept, I just buried myself," Holwell said.
The pressure is building for the Northland team to pull a rabbit out of the hat and give desperate rugby fans something to cling to. But it will take some special form of magic to do it against Canterbury.
None of this is news to Holwell. The sight of two consecutive walk-up crowds numbering well past the 6000 mark has been remarkable, he just wished the results had given all those Northland rugby fans something to take home.
Given the odds of a Northland victory over Canterbury, Holwell is wondering what sort of crowd will turn up on Friday.
"We have to step up, we normally do against the big teams. I don't know why that is but we usually face up to them and I am hoping that happens on Friday night," he said.
"For the last two home games, there have been great crowds here, it has just been great to play at Okara Park with a crowd like that and we have let them down on both occasions.
"To be honest, I wouldn't blame them [the spectators] if they didn't turn up, it is pretty hard to support a team that is getting a bit of a beating each week.
"All I can say it is not from a lack of trying, we are trying to play rugby and the effort is there, it's just the skill and execution that is letting us down and that's what we have to fix."
Still in recovery mode from Saturday's bruising encounter, Northland coach Mark Anscombe took the foot off the pedal this week to try and freshen his squad up.
He has made a collection of changes to the team to meet Canterbury. Rene Ranger, Northland's best back, is out with a hamstring strain while prop Jason Hammond gets promoted to the starting team.
* NORTHLAND
Jared Payne, Damien Fakafanua, Aden Dewes, Derek Carpenter, Fetu Vainikolo, David Holwell, James Rodley, Justin Collins, Joel McKenty, Marty Veale, Dan Goodwin, Tevita Mailau, Francis Smith, Jason Hammond. Reserves: Tyler Ashworth, Ross Wright, Roy Griffin, Blair Urlich, Brenton Helleur, Ash Moeke, Mike Davis.