Rugby: Northland's time for action

Taniwha captain Matt Moulds and teammates stop for a drink during yesterday's training. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Northland's ITM Cup coaches, Richie Harris and Dale Macleod, will have a chance to put months of planning and preparation into action tonight when the Taniwha face off against the Northland development side in the first of two preseason fixtures.

"We're pretty happy with where we are at, we've put a lot of miles through the legs," Harris said after yesterday's final training run.

Many players are fighting fit after the conclusion of the Southern Districts Premiers competition last weekend, however, tonight's match will provide a much needed chance to stretch the legs at a faster tempo.

With a shortage of high intensity warm-up games being a notable omission from this year's preseason calender, tonight's match will be a crucial exercise leading into the remaining preseason fixture versus Waikato next week.

Harris sees tonight's game as a chance to implement the key game priorities for the ITM Cup 2015 season, a list of initiatives which detail clarity around breakdowns and lineouts, as well as a push for space and timeliness around the set piece.

"It's almost seen as another training session really," Harris said.

"There'll be much more pressure next week so rolling into that we'll see a bit more work rate."

This season's ITM Cup game priorities were developed following discussions with those involved in the game, particularly ITM Cup coaches, and take trends into consideration that have emerged throughout the 2015 Investec Super Rugby competition.

"Lineout to maul has probably been the most topical area of late and it's important that this phase is clearly understood, both by players and match officials," New Zealand Rugby General Manager Rugby Neil Sorensen said.

"All this will help improve the flow and speed of the game, make it more enjoyable for players and importantly, improve the experience for fans."

Harris and Macleod have the bulk of their squad available for tonight's match with the exception of Dan Bowden, Dan Pryor, Daniel O'Rourke and Kara Pryor (injured), while Josh Goodhue, Sam Nock, Matia Navares, Filipo Nakosi and Isimeli Taqea will be unavailable due to their involvement with Mangonui and Bay of Islands premier club finals.

Jone Macilai will get some game time after recovering from his foot injury, however, Harris will keep a close eye on his rehabilitation. "Anyone that's 50/50 we've scratched."