Rugby: North Harbour to give new faces a first run

By Wynne Gray

North Harbour and Auckland are well fancied by the TAB for this year's NPC, and while many of their top players will miss next Tuesday's trial game it will be a match in which to run the rule over some interesting players.

Auckland will announce their side at the weekend, while Harbour coach Wayne Shelford will use a mix of proven backs and interesting forwards for the Eden Park contest.

Newcomers in the forwards are recently contracted Samoan tighthead prop Fosi Pala'amo, lock Lio Falaniko, who is on loan from Otago, and Robbie Ford, son of former All Black wing Brian Ford, who is on loan from Canterbury.

Another lock, Filiti Fakaongo, played for Tonga in the last World Cup, while No 8 Hori Lewis has been away for some time in Hawkes Bay. There is also some hot talk about flanker Blair Urlich, who has been outstanding for the Takapuna club.

Slade McFarland, Troy Flavell, Ron Cribb, Glen Osborne and new wing Karl Te Nana are away with the New Zealand Maori side but the backs have a familiar lock.

Only centre Paul Schmidt-Uli, from the Vikings, and former Waikato wing Aisea Tuilevu need to get used to the Harbour style.

Auckland have a number of unavailable players, including new captain Paul Thomson, away with the Maori side or the New Zealand Colts team in Argentina, while Adrian Cashmore is recovering from knee cartilage surgery.

North Harbour: Glenn Davis or Rua Tipoki, Eric Rush, Paul Schmidt-Uli, Aisea Tuilevu, Walter Little, Frano Botica (capt), Mark Robinson, Hori Lewis, Blair Urlich, Filiti Fakaongo, Lio Falaniko, Robbie Ford, Fosi Pala'amo, Russell King, Tony Coughlan. Reserves: Billy Fulton, Ngapuku Ngapuku, Davis or Tipoki, Johnny Marsters, Simon Halford, Malua Tipi, Matua Parkinson or Manako Tonga.

Auckland squad: Paul Thomson (capt), Scott Palmer, Kalau Fukofuka, Paul Mitchell, Keven Mealamu, Charles Reichelmann, Leo Lafaiali'i, Jason Chandler, Mark Carter, Finau Maka, Xavier Rush, Michael Jones, Samiu Vahafolau, Ofisa Tonu'u, Steve Devine, Aidan Vince, Orene Ai'i, Craig Innes, Eroni Clarke, Iliesa Tanivula, Caleb Ralph, Doug Howlett, Rico Gear, Dan Parkinson, Malili Muliana, Adrian Cashmore.