Rugby: Ticking off boxes

Ash Moeke has a big wish list for Northland in this year's Air New Zealand Cup and scoring his first try in the Cambridge Blue is right near the top.

The first-five eighth will play an important role in this year's campaign as he demonstrated in Northland's 29-24 pre-season win over North Harbour in Warkworth on Friday but he is one of those perfectionists who is never satisfied with his game.

"Scoring a try in the Cambridge Blue is something that I want to achieve this year and I'm working hard on my game to be able to tick that one off," he said.

The 24-year-old is a first five-eighthsfirst-five eighth in the English style, something he got from a six-month stint in Newcastle, and is better known for his slick distribution and tactical kicking than running at the line.

But anyone who witnessed his running game for Mid Western in this year's Northland Premier Grade grand final knows he has the ability to split the opposition defence.

"As regarding taking it to the line, it's something hopefully I can do more for Northland this year but it's another step up again from club rugby, with the defences that much better organised and harder to get through," he said

He will start the season as the first choice first five-eighthsfirst-five eighth but is looking forward to combining with veteran Orene Ai'i and hopes "we'll bring the best out in each other".

It is Moeke's second season for the Taniwha but he played several games off the bench in 2009, on loan from Auckland, deputising for David Holwell.

After two years in the Auckland squad, he was again approached to play for the Taniwha last year and came north and has helped Mid Western to back-to-back titles.

Another goal for Moeke is for the Taniwha to achieve more consistency with their results.

"We got close to winning games last year but we didn't always finish them off, and this year it's been a big boost for us to get players like David Hall and Hale T-Pole in the side because they bring valuable experience and can hopefully bring on the younger guys and help us to lay a solid platform up front," he said.

"Me and Orene can hopefully benefit from an experienced forward pack by getting good, clean go-forward ball and then we can use some of our pace out wide to good effect," he said.

Northland has pace to burn out wide with players such as Rene Ranger, Dan Caprice and Mateo Malupo, but the question is can they get enough ball out there to be able to capitalise on their speedy backs? On Friday, in their first game together, it seemed they could.

Tries to Caprice, Rhyan Caine, Samisoni Fisilau, Faatoina Autagavaia and Dan Faleafa were often sparked by wide breaks.

Moeke had a rare off day with the boot, missing more kicks than he made, but you can be sure that he'll already be working to correct what when wrong ... as well as planning how to break his duck for the Taniwha.