Rugby: Coaches' anxiety rises

Josh Goodhue, New Zealand Under-20s lock, is one of 13 new faces in this year's Northland ITM Cup side. Photo / Getty

Northland ITM Cup coaches Richie Harris and Dale MacLeod will be holding their breath over coming weeks with up to 20 of their recent selections for the Taniwha 32-man ITM Cup squad playing in premier club rugby finals.

With injuries already a factor in the squad's make-up, head coach Harris said he would watch this weekend's semifinals and next weekend's final with extra urgency.

"We just hold our breath every weekend, to be honest, around injuries [but] that's the nature of the beast," Harris said.

Jack Ram will be a notable omission from Northland's ITM Cup squad if Tonga pick him for this year's Rugby World Cup.

"The squad is a wee bit bigger than usual simply because of that. We'll be carrying a few injuries through pre-season [and] there's a bit of fat in there to cover those injuries."

Some players are returning from major injuries but have been committed to their rehab programmes and should be fit for the early ITM Cup rounds.

The obvious player of concern is Dan Pryor, who dislocated an elbow in the Highlanders' knock-out game against the Chiefs. As well, up-and-coming Tom Robinson suffered a season-ending knee injury a month ago.

What will be pleasing for local rugby pundits is the healthy rehabilitation of debutant halfback Sam Nock and prop Namatahi Waa who both had extensive hip-surgery which put them out for six months.

Thirteen players new to the squad will help make up for the deficit in Super Rugby players and with the sub-union premier divisions running well, plenty of players have raised their hands for an ITM Cup call.

Fresh faces in the squad include Mid Northern's Wise Lawebuka, Isimeli Taqea (Awanui), Jordan Hyland (Otamatea), Dave Thomas (Grammar TEC, Auckland), Tyler Landsdowne (Wellsford), Daniel O'Rourke (Awanui), Hayden McCaw (Mid Western), Sean Sweetman (Wellsford), Dominic McCoy-Robinson (Hikurangi) and Argentinian imports Matias Navares and Tomas Ramirez.

"The squad has been picked with a bit of view to knowing those Super [Rugby] players are outside bets of actually playing," Harris said.

"All things going well, we'll present a team which might be down on big names in that round-one game, but a team that should be fit, well, healthy and have good clarity on what they're doing."

One feature of the 2015 Northland ITM Cup team is representation from all three Northland premier competitions - Mangonui, Bay of Islands and Bayleys Southern Districts.

Jack Ram and Tom Murday are the international exclusions from the squad, with Ram in the hunt for a Rugby World Cup call-up from Tonga, while Murday is playing rugby in France.

With nearly a month to kick-off, Northland will play two pre-season fixtures in the coming weeks; one against a Northland development side on July 31 at Maungakaramea and a match against Waikato in Silverdale on August 7.

2015 Northland ITM Cup squad:

Props: Dominic McCoy-Robinson (Hikurangi), Matias Navares (Kamo), Tomas Ramirez (Old Boys Marist), Howard Sililoto (Old Boys Marist), Matt Talaese (Wellsford), Namatahi
Waa (Hikurangi).

Hookers: Matt Moulds (Otamatea, Blues), Jordan Olsen (Mid Northern), Ross Wright (Wellsford).

Locks: Josh Goodhue (United Kawakawa, NZ 20s), Shane Neville (Otamatea), Michael Stolberg (Hikurangi), Sean Sweetman (Wellsford).

Loose Forwards: Cam Goodhue (United Kawakawa), Jaycob Matiu (Mid Western), Hayden McCaw (Mid Western), Daniel O'Rourke (Awanui), Kara Pryor (Old Boys Marist).

Halfbacks: Kurt Davies (Christchurch), Sam Nock (Kerikeri).

First Fives: Dan Bowden (Blues), Dan Hawkins (Otamatea), Tyler Landsdowne (Wellsford).

Midfield: Warren Dunn (Horahora), Troy Gilbert (Old Boys Marist), Jordan Hyland (Otamatea), Dave Thomas (Grammar TEC - Auckland).

Outsides: Wise Lawabuka (Mid Northern), Jone Macalai (Awanui, Crusaders), Filipo Nakosi (Awanui), Isimeli Taqea (Awanui), Matt Wright (Wellsford).