SEVENS - An ambush at the pass for Northland's lone Ranger

TO DATE, Northland rugby sevens coach Adriaan Ferris reckons he has been foxing. No use giving the opposition the inside oil on his team ahead of the Pub Charity New Zealand sevens tournament in Queenstown at the weekend.
At least that's how Ferris explains a modest effort from the Northland team at the annual Mount Sevens tournament in Tauranga last week. But when his team fronts up for the national tournament on Saturday, Ferris knows one thing for sure: there won't be anywhere for Rene Ranger, the only New Zealand squad member in the Northland team, to hide.
Ranger has attended the last two IRB World Sevens series tournaments with the Gorden Tietjens' New Zealand team in Dubai and South Africa, and is expected to be picked for the national team to play at the Wellington Sevens on Waitangi Weekend.
But having a New Zealand Sevens player is a double-edged sword for Ferris. Getting state secrets from Ranger has obviously helped the Northland team prepare. But the 21-year-old winger might as well wear a jersey with a bullseye on the back when he trots out on the sevens pitch at the nationals.
"I think last year we over-emphasised how much impact Rene would have with us," Ferris said.
"Being a New Zealand player he was heavily marked and didn't really get much of a chance to do anything. Everywhere he moved he had tacklers all over him. So we have been very careful to make sure we have a real team approach to how we play this year. We can't rely on one or two guys to pull them through," he said.
After a disappointing 13th place finish of 16 teams last year, Northland have been thrown into a tough pool at the tournament in Queenstown. They will play Counties-Manukau, Southland and Manawatu in pool play.
But the Northland team have been working together since November, a large training squad finally whittled down to a tournament team of 12 yesterday. The arrival of former New Zealand sevens representative Tony Monaghan as a technical adviser has also help lift the tempo.
Ferris has also welcomed back Aiden Dewes, who is on the comeback trail after a serious leg injury last year.