Chance to stop the slide for North Harbour and Northland

By CHRIS RATTUE

A year ago North Harbour and Northland were sitting pretty in their NPC campaigns.

Midway through the competition, Harbour were already well on the way to the semifinals, and Northland had notched a couple of wins.

Twelve months on it is a very different story, and tonight's match in Whangarei has become part of the fight for first division survival. Winless Northland are in dire straits, North Harbour have just one victory over lowly Bay of Plenty.

While both have had mainly highly rated opponents so far, they are now in the position of trying to avoid the promotion-relegation game. And although the odds are stacked in favour of the first division side winning those clashes, it is a prospect all first division sides want to avoid.

Northland have been hit by the loss of lock/captain Glenn Taylor, Nisifolo Naufahu is struggling with injury and Super 12 hooker Derren Witcombe is sidelined. Tim Henwood - normally a No. 8 - will partner lock Brad Taylor.

Regular fullback Hayden Taylor takes over the captaincy and has moved to first five-eighths in place of Regan Finch.

Harbour will be favourites and might now have struck upon their best line-up, with Troy Flavell moving to lock, opening the way for Matua Parkinson and Craig Newby in the starting lineup. And if Australian Tim Walsh can run the show from first five-eighths, Luke McAlister could be best suited to centre at this stage of his promising career.

As always, Northland's fate will rest largely on whether they can free wings Rupeni Caucaunibuca and Fero Lasagavibau or, if that is not possible, whether the flying Fijians can inject themselves into the game.

Teams:

Northland: Rhyan Caine, Fero Lasagavibau, Jason Shoemark, Robbie Johnson, Rupeni Caucaunibuca, Hayden Taylor (capt), Sam Pinder; Brett Waaka, Allen Tubbs, Vula Maimuri, Brad Taylor, Tim Henwood, Con Barrell, Jason Hammond, Mike Storey. Res: Tim Dow, Bronson Murray, Nisi Naufahu, Aaron Wright; Lee Peina, Regan Finch, Jason Hita.

North Harbour: Nick Evans, Scott Adams, Luke McAlister, Mark Mayerhofler, Hayden Reid, Tim Walsh, Mark Robinson (capt); Blair Urlich, Matua Parkinson, Craig Newby, Mark Giacheri, Troy Flavell, Tevita Taumoepeau, Slade McFarland, Tony Woodcock. Res: Joe Ward, John Buchanan, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Gallagher; Billy Fulton, Brad Miller, Anthony Tuitavake.

Referee: Neville McAlister (Wellington). Kickoff: 7.35pm