Rugby: Northland quietly determined

By Wynne Gray

They are franchise relations and most of the squad live out of town, but Northland do not want to live up to the disparaging country cousins description today at Eden Park.

They believe they can foot it in the NPC first division and competing against Auckland is their measuring patch.

It will be a case of walking the walk, because wringing or coaxing any boasting about their prospects does not come easily from the men up north.

A 1998 without any victories and last week's 1999 opener against Otago, when they should have at least taken a draw have the visitors well-tuned to their task against an Auckland side who began in formidable fashion against Wellington.

"We know that first of all we have to work really hard and we want to prove that we are not going to be the easybeats of the NPC," captain Glenn Taylor vowed.

Taylor acknowledged that each time his side played well but came away without a win, it made their next assignment even more of a mental hurdle. After coming so close last week the side had to raise themselves further for Auckland.

The desire was there from a squad of semi-professional footballers. The attitude was underlined by reserve lock Vula Maimuri, a forestry worker from well north of Kaitaia, who had to take half a day off work just to come to training.

Flanker Alan Tubbs, the man who climbed to intercept a penalty kick last week, farms just out of Kerikeri and has to be up milking about 5am each day.

Playing rugby around work delivered extra demands, Taylor said, but it also produced those who really wanted to succeed. There were Super 12 contracts to push for with consistent season performances but no one was going to make a song and dance about it like Counties Manukau had this week.

Silence did not mean submission either, because Northland knew they would be hit hard and early by Auckland.

If there was one low for Auckland last week it was their lack of control and scoring in the opening 25 minutes against Wellington.

Second-half inroads were too easy against a disorganised Wellington defence, so the emphasis today will be disciplined direction and authority.

Northland's exciting centre, Norm Berryman, did not run at the side's final training session, but he is expected to start, and young halfback Sam Pinder will begin the game ahead of Tim Kareko.

Pinder looked very nervous in his NPC debut last week but if he can settle he has the potential to give his backs the service and variety they need to keep Auckland wondering.

But it will be the work of Taylor, Justin Collins, Nick White, Jason Hammond and company in the pack which will determine much of Northland's progress today.

If the scrum improves even more from the impressive work against Otago it will be a great start, while Taylor, Tubbs and Collins bring good lineout options.

Goalkicking may be questionable after Hayden Taylor lost his radar last week and with Auckland trusting in the usually reliable boot of the returning Adrian Cashmore.

Last week Wellington foundered against Auckland's defence, especially in midfield, and if Northland are to make headway today, somehow they must outmanouevre that Craig Innes-Eroni Clarke dragnet.