RUGBY - The Big Game

Considering all the permutations, it might just be time to glance nervously either direction and whisper in soft tones something quite remarkable.
There is a full stop there for effect, and also to give you all time to sit down for this. It may come as a bit of a shock.
Ready?
This Northland rugby team is actually quite good.
These musings must be spoken very quietly of course. For some unknown reason mentioning those two words in conjunction with the Northland rugby team sets of an attack of paranoia. You glance over your shoulder half expecting those nasty people to come with the straitjacket and some soothing medication ... again.
In the swamp of a flooded field, Thursday night's victory over Tasman was a demonstration of dogged determination. It is not a game that will feature in the yet-to-be-released highlights-of-Northland-rugby DVD however.
Rupeni Caucaunibuca's try against Auckland, that's on the DVD. Chippie Semenoff's injury-time penalty to win the Ranfurly Shield, that's there too. Northland' s historic first win over Tasman ever? Errr, don't think it'll make the cut, mate.
Never mind, it was still a critical success because the game signals the arrival of some new Northland rugby stars and a refreshing new Northland mindset.
There is still a strong school of thought that the current Northland rugby fortunes can be linked directly to the return of Northland's long-lost sons, David `Dooley' Holwell and Justin `Gus' Collins.
It is not a bad theory to espouse really. Holwell and Collins are top performers, for sure, but more importantly players who offer as much off the field as they do on it.
But don't be fooled into thinking it all starts and stops at their door.
Take as an example Dan Bowden, Dooley's protege, and when you get a chance look very closely at the chap in the Northland No.7 jersey, Joel McKenty. Don't underestimate the Clydesdale of the Northland forward pack either, No.8 Jake Paringatai.
The thing is, if the Northland rugby team keep producing tactically sound efforts, then perhaps names such as Bowden, McKenty and Paringatai will be starting to get pencilled into the notebooks of Super 14 coaches.
Bowden is poised tantalisingly close at the Blues with Luke McAlister and Sam Tuitupou departing, but is also a candidate for a call-up to the Chiefs.
The search for an Otago back earning his pay packet down in the cold end of the country was called off weeks ago, so a spot in the Highlanders is there for the taking.
Bowden's efforts are already impressing Bruce Robertson, he of All Black royalty who happens to be playing a major role in the development of players such as Bowden as the Northland assistant coach.
"Bowden is displaying the skills and the attitude and the decision-making attritbutes that they would look for in a Super 14 player," Robertson said. "There are heaps of opportunities opening up for a good first or second five. It is my job really to talk to Super 14 coaches and let them know how well our guys are going, but they will be monitoring players pretty closely as well," he said.
McKenty and Paringatai are unlucky to be in the loose-forward trade. Loosies are the rugby equivalent of immigrant non-English-speaking taxi drivers in Auckland.
But remember that Marty Holah has gone from the Chiefs, that Collins has indicated he won't be available for the Blues and that the futures of others such as Daniel Braid, Craig Newby and Rodney So'oialo are undetermined.
* TBOTR battle a keen one for G9
In case you haven't noticed, there are two competitions ongoing during the Air NZ Cup this season.
Actually there are three, but the race to find the commentator who utters the most inane observation during a live rugby telecast is always a foregone conclusion.
The other two are far more risky when it comes to investing hard-earned cash at the bookies on the outcome.
For a start, any one of three teams are looming as overall title contenders - Auckland, Waikato and Canterbury.
Unless Wellington suddenly develop some punch, for want of a better description, to their front row they are out of the equation. Otago only get a mention here because they, like the other four teams just discussed, are home to things called Super 14 franchises.
The rest of the teams contesting this year's competition have banded together under something called the G9, and are battling it out for the unofficial title up for grabs this season: The Best of The Rest or TBOTR.
While TBOTR and G9 are hardly acronyms that will excite the marketers, the latter is a poignant description for a conglomeration of rugby regions. The five franchised rugby teams will look at the list and think: ``Gee, there are NINE other provinces in the country?'
Most certainly there are, led in fine style these days by the Hawke's Bay Magpies who are now three wins from four games after they ceremoniously upended North Harbour 35-25 at Napier on Friday night.
That places the Magpies third on the table, two above a stoic Northland outfit who currently sit in fifth after beating Tasman 9-3 last week, and several notches ahead of Harbour who only qualified for G9 status by default anyway.
Thanks to, arguably, the most physical forward pack in the competition and due in no small measure to the feats of halfback Danny Lee and the rejuvenated rugby nomad Jason Shoemark, the Magpie star just seems to keep on rising.
Shoemark is now staking a claim for Super 14 recognition next year, which would round off a remarkable comeback from neck injury last year.
"The roll hasn't really stopped since my five (pre-season) tries against Poverty Bay. We not only got five points for us ... Harbour didn't get any. The key now is to do the same against Counties-Manukau next week," Shoemark said.
The key comments here are the last two, denying Harbour a point and aiming to starve Counties of any this coming weekend. The trade in bonus points is looming as the vital component that will decide TBOTR this season.
In that particular wrestle, round five of the competition this weekend looms large.
Counties hosting an injury-ravaged Hawke's Bay on Thursday evening will be critical. That Waikato defeated Counties 30-8 at the weekend means little when judged with how Counties actually performed.
While Tasman snuck one bonus point in losing to Northland, Taranaki had to be satisfied with another after losing to a bedraggled Otago outfit at New Plymouth, just 18-15.
Bay of Plenty are crashing badly, their unexpected 30-18 loss to Manawatu leaves both teams reeling at the foot of the table.
Southland though would have been disappointed not to bank any rewards for a robust effort against Auckland in Invercargill when they lost 44-19, which has set up their clash with Northland in Invercargill on Friday night.
Bay of Plenty will still be a chance against Otago and when Harbour meet Waikato their chances of holding the Shield look slim at best.