Air NZ Cup preview: Losing Northland's motivation

Counties Manukau vs Northland
Mount Smart Stadium, 12:30

The lowdown: Counties will be dirty that they conceded 50 to Hawke's Bay - a team they were talking about kicking while they were down.

Northland, meanwhile, will be dirty they haven't won for three years. Imagine how pent up they must be. So they probably have the emotional edge in terms of motivation and with Gus Collins, David Gibson and David Holwell they arguably have the edge in experience and personnel, too.

The other thing Northland have to be aware of is that if they don't win today, against a side that is talented but raw, maybe it's never going to happen. Surely that will see them through.

Look out for: A fast, open game. It might not always be classy but it will be enterprising. These two sides enjoy throwing it around so if nothing else, it will be frenetic.

What we think: Counties have the talent to be a real force in this competition further down the line. By 2010, they will be the sort of team no one fancies playing. But today is Northland's day. Today they will win a game of premier division football for the first time since 2002. Get that champagne chilled, boys.

Counties Manukau: T. Nathan, L. Masaga, N. Ta'auso, M. Sua, S. Piutau, B. Feeney, B. Meyer (c), W. Setitaia, J. Maher, T. Tuifua, A. van der Heijden, K. Ormsby, S. Lemalu, G. Henson, S. Kefu.

Northland: M. Millroy, S. Korovata, J. Levi, H. Taylor, R. Ranger, D. Holwell (c), D. Gibson, J. Paringatai, J. McKenty, J. Collins, B. Taylor, D. Goodwin, S. Wright, T. Dow, T. Coughlan.