Urlich model of endeavour

By WYNNE GRAY

If North Harbour wrote a manual about the competitive fire needed to succeed in the NPC, they would use loose forward Blair Urlich as their model.

He is not one of the team stars, not one of the glamour group, but for dedication, desperation and desire, Urlich is top of the crop.

He has put his personal rugby goals on hold. His emphasis is all on churning out strong performances for the team.

Urlich's reward is continued selection today for the match at Tauranga against Bay of Plenty. He retains the No 8 job ahead of All Black Ron Cribb, who is suffering some wear and tear with tendinitis in his knee.

Had this match been the NPC final, the selectors would have called up Cribb, but only after a vigorous debate because Urlich has been a gem this season.

By nature an openside flanker, by inclination a blindsider but picked as No 8, the 26-year-old knows how to play it tough.

He has learned after a year or two of uncertainty that that is the only way for him to go with his rugby.

Given a chance to play while Cribb was away on All Black duty, Urlich said he was never going to lie down and give his mate his place back.

"No way, I have to keep challenging myself and getting the best out of the team, otherwise that gives Buck [Shelford, the coach] an easy choice," he said.

It was not always that way for Urlich, who got the same chance last year, but wanted to play blindside.

He let that desire distract him; it affected his play and he realised it.

"This year I just want to make it hard for everyone to drop me and I am not worrying about how Craig Newby is going on the blind," he said.

"I had to get my mindset sorted because I always felt some coaches looked at me and thought I was too small to be a No 8."

But Urlich now looks at others, such as Waikato No 8 Deon Muir, who have inspired him to get on with the job, to prove that his 103kg and 1.89m frame are more than adequate for the top level.

In the opening game against Otago - one Harbour should have won since Otago were depleted with their All Blacks away and others injured - Urlich was a rare standout for his side.

Against Auckland and Canterbury, he has repeated those showings.

He wants to make the Blues again. Two cameo Super 12 call-ups last year and this year have only made him more determined about his rugby future.

As a self-employed electrician, he earns a little to help his semi-pro career, but would rather have rugby supporting his partner and family.

Form and results support that goal. In a week when Harbour hit the headlines for reasons they did not want, Urlich knows there cannot be a slip-up against the Bay today.

"We can't afford to do anything but win," he said.

"We have been saying that over and over again because every year we take a big scalp and then go down to one of the lesser sides.

"We have to set high standards and we are well aware of the dangers of the Bay."

As for the Bay, Tyrone Taiepa's inclusion is one of six changes to their starting lineup from the side beaten by Taranaki, with Damian Karauna moving from fullback to midfield where he will partner Nick Collins.

Todd Blythe moves off the bench on to the right wing, swapping places with Scott Barton, and the entire loose forward trio has changed as coach Gordon Tietjens injects more pace and enthusiasm into a struggling pack.

Paul Tupai supplants Clayton McMillan at No 8 and Dave Gorrie, subject to a fitness test, is on the blindside flank in place of Wayne Ormond.

New Canterbury loan player Johnny Leo'o is openside flanker, if he gets over a throat infection.

"I'm wanting a lot more urgency to the loose ball. We need to be far more lethal around that area," Tietjens said. "We need to latch on to opposition turnovers a lot quicker and also be far more ruthless in cleaning out rucks."