RUGBY - Selectors eye up hopefuls as battle gets more heated

We are going to keep a close eye on these guys and look out for the players who perform week after week. Those are the players we will be looking at in terms of Northland selectionMark AnscombeThe battle to catch the eye of the Northland rugby selectors is about to get serious as the bulk of the representative squad start to filter back into the battle zone of the Joe Morgan Memorial club championship.
Marist took out first-round honours when they dispatched Waipu 47-7 on Friday night and look set to cruise through to the semifinals with a clique of representative players about to add to their cause.
But five other teams, all of them stacked with players increasingly anxious to win favour with Northland coaches Mark Anscombe and Bruce Robertson, are set to launch into a desperate wrestle for the other three semifinals berths.
``We should see most of our Northland players from the squad last year back in action in the next two or three weeks. We are slowly starting to get a picture of how the squad might look and getting to really know what positions we need to concentrate on,' Anscombe said.
``We are going to keep a close eye on these guys and look out for the players who perform week after week. Those are the players we will be looking at in terms of Northland selection,' he said.
It will help that the premier club competition is still evoking a passionate following, with several of the usual suspects emerging as candidates.
Hora Hora, Mid Northern, Hikurangi, Kamo and Wellsford are all queuing up in a competition that continues to gain momentum and is becoming an intriguing battle for bragging rights.
But just when a reliable pecking order has been established, news that several teams will be bolstered with the injection of incumbent representative squad members could suddenly change the landscape.
Prop Tony Coughlan's return to Marist last week has already given the championship leaders some rock solid stability in the forward pack _ a factor that will only be boosted with Lock Dan Goodwin two weeks away from arriving back from overseas.
Hikurangi were relieved to throw the No3 jersey at Bronson Murray on Saturday, his quiet Super 14 campaign with the Blues giving him fresh legs for their club title bid.
Kamo are waiting with bated breath for Justin Collins to announce his availability.
And Mid Northern are equally anxious about the return from injury of erudite first five eighths David Holwell.
On Saturday, Mid Northern were made to work hard to beat Mid Western in an absorbing match in the wet at Hukerenui, the work of loose forward Frank Roberts giving the home side the winning edge along with the unexpected goal kicking accuracy of lock Buster Taihere.
It took a while though, as Mid Northern were only up 10-3 at halftime.
Kamo battled back from a 10-0 halftime deficit to lead Hikurangi 12-10 in the second half but were undone by a well drilled Hikurangi backline in the last 20 minutes. Hikurangi won 29-17 with two long-range tries from winger Maurice Cooper and centre Damian Fakafanua.
Marist's 40-point margin over Waipu was due mainly to a slick performance outwide, where Tavita Jurgensen and Hayden Hutchinson were in good form.
Wellsford simply blasted past the Western Sharks 55-0, their forwards laying down the platform for the victory with a solid set-piece performance.
Hora Hora went on the rampage to cruise past Whangarei Old Boys 79-0. Old Boys are struggling to stay afloat in the premier ranks.
* RESULTS - JOE MORGAN MEMORIAL
Premier: Marist 47 (Tavita Jurgensen 2, Kameli Delana, Ross Norman, Toutai Telefoni, Tom Vainakolo, Lua Taufa, Palu Leilua, Siaosi Tuatau tries; Hayden Hutchinson con), Waipu 7 (Brent Murray try; Johnny Claxton con).
Prem reserves: 19-0 Marist.
Hora Hora 79 (Alan Nesbitt 2, Rukuwai Waata 2, Jason Parangi 2, Leon Baigent 2, Logan Wendt 2, John Tuhoi, Riley Dunn, Warren Dunn, Luke Voss, Isaac Levuimata tries; Karl Milne, Baigent cons), Whg Old Boys 0
Prem reserve: 35-5 Hora Hora.
Wellsford 55 (Aiden Dewes, Josh Brogan, Ross Neil, Eroni Endolo 2, Scott Brady Rene Ranger, Ross Wright Paul Humphries tries; Johnny MoiMoi, Ranger, Matt Wright, Dewes 2 cons), Western Sharks 0.
Prem res: 63-8 Wellsford.
Hikurangi 29 (Josh Edmonds, Jared Payne, Damian Fakafanua, Maurice Cooper tries; Edmonds pen, Eedmonds 2, Payne cons), Kamo 17 (FreddieVan Loggerenburg, Mike Davis, Lee Jones tries; Matt Buckley con).
Prem res: 26-0 Hikurangi.
Mid Northern 24 (Kyran Pita, Frank Roberts 2 tries; Buster Taihere pen, 3 cons), Mid Western 8 (Sergio De La Fuente try; Brooke Gilmore pen).
Prem res: 56-0 Mid Northern.
Points.-
Premier: (Note: end of first round)
Marist 38, Hora Hora 35, Mid Northern 33, Wellsford 31, Hikurangi 31, Kamo 27, Western Sharks 15, Mid Western 11, Waipu 5, Whg Old Boys 0.
Premier reserves: Wellsford 39, Mid Northern 37, Hora Hora 35, Marist 32, Western Sharks 23, Hikurangi 19, Kamo 19, Waipu 14, Whg Old Boys 2, Mid Western 2.
UNDER-18
Awanui 27 (Stephen Murray 2, Whiria Meltz, Ray Hutton tries; Rawriri Paparoa pen, Don Henry 2 cons), Kamo High 26 (Hayden McCaw, Eli Parkes, Te Ae Davis tries; Tyler Landsdowne 3 pens, con)
Morewa 14, Marist Old Boys 0.
Kerikeri 48 (Adam Thomson, Matt White, Michael Cook 2, Waitai Neho-Popata, Tipene Rosenthal 2, Taylor Ruwhiu tries; Matt White 3, Sam Sullivan cons), Otamatea 10 (John-luke Whitehead 2 tries).
Kamo 32 (Simon Culham 2, Gavin Causer, Lemon Watkins, Nathan carroll, Morgan tahu tries; Causer con), Southern 18.
Eastern 19 (Manual Waru, Tyler Hamilton, Waylon Williams tries; Jordan Komene 2 cons), WBHS 17.
Points: Awanui 31, Eastern United 29, Moerewa 28, Otamatea 24, Kerikeri 25, WBHS 20, Kamo HS 20, Kamo 14, Southern 4, Marist/Old Boys 0.
SOUTHERN DISTRICTS
Division Two: Whangaruru 86, Waimarie 5; City 20, Mangakahia 7; Tikipunga 21, Eastern Subrubs 13; Otamatea 22, Pipiwai 0.
NORTH ZONE
United Kawakawa 21, Eastern 5; Kaeo 39, Kaitaia 3; Waipapakauri 20, Otiria 5; Awanui bt Okaihau-Kaikohe by default; Ohaeawai 6, Motukohu 5; Te Rarawa 29, Kerikeri 15; Moerewa 14, Te Aupouri 5.