Rugby: McAllister intent on accruing game time

Luke McAlister, at training yesterday, says playing a few full games is his main priority. Photo / Dean Purcell

Luke McAlister arrived back in New Zealand this week with a firm plan in mind.

"Getting game time is the big thing," the All Black back said. "I haven't had much in the last two or three months so getting a few 80 minutes under my belt would be good."

But he'll have to wait a bit longer for that, after being named on the bench in his first appearance for North Harbour since before the 2007 World Cup, against Tasman at Albany tomorrow night.

McAlister is expected to get a run at some point of the Air New Zealand Cup second round game. He needs it too, after managing just a slim volume of work since ending his two seasons at English club Sale with knee and hamstring injuries in February.

Since then, he played for the Barbarians in their 55-7 knockabout loss to the Wallabies in Sydney early in June; had 20 and 13 minutes respectively off the bench in the two tests against France; played the entire dire test against Italy; and got six and 20 minutes as a replacement in the two losses to South Africa in the past fortnight.

Harbour co-coach Jeff Wilson said he and fellow coach Craig Dowd are keen to get McAlister back in action, but a mix of issues conspired against him starting against Tasman.

Five-eighths combination Mike Harris and Andrew Mailei had pleased the coaches in the 22-19 win over defending champions Canterbury last Saturday; and McAlister is unfamiliar with the patterns Dowd and Wilson have introduced.

"There were a lot of things to consider. All in all it just makes sense," Wilson said last night.

"We've introduced a lot of new things which obviously Luke hasn't got a huge understanding of.

"And coming back from South Africa - and it's always difficult backing up from that flight - we felt the best way to reintroduce him was let him observe a little bit of what has happened, get a feel for how the team are playing and the new systems."

All Black assistant coach Wayne Smith has told Wilson the national panel are relaxed whether McAlister is used at No 10 or 12. Second five-eighths is the more likely starting point, but that decision is likely to relate to the game situation.

Wing Rudi Wulf returns to the bench after recovering from his chipped shoulder, suffered on the eve of the All Black test against France in Dunedin on June 13.

Nusi Tuitavake gets a start on the wing in place of Ken Pisi - joining captain and older brother Anthony in guarding Harbour's backline flanks. Flanker Robert Colhoun and prop Michael Reid move up from the bench to the starting XV, ahead of Malakai Ravulo and James Afoa.

Tasman have made five changes to the team beaten 21-9 by Taranaki last week. There is one change to the Northland team beaten 19-14 by Bay of Plenty last week for their "home" game against Taranaki at North Harbour Stadium tonight.

Whangarei's Okara Park has been deemed unusable for Northland's first home game of the championship.

Lock Cam Jowitt is in for Auckland loan player Daniel Faleafa, with fingers crossed the Northland lineout improves from a dodgy start last week.

Taranaki won't have All Blacks Jason Eaton and Andrew Hore for the trip north, and have lost first five-eighths Willie Ripia to an Achilles tendon injury, Jack Cameron stepping in.

Scott Waldrom, briefly an All Black late last year, is back on the bench after a long injury break, and tighthead prop Shane Cleaver is out with infected cuts, his spot going to debutant Michael Bent.