RUGBY - Coughlan stranded on 99

Tony Coughlan had good reason to keep his links with North Harbour rugby alive this year, about 99 reasons to be precise.
But when the Northland coach got in his ear and told him it was time to sever his ties with his old union and start getting a taste of grassroots rugby Northland style, who was he to argue.
Which is why Coughlan, the Northland prop forward, finished his career at the North Harbour Marist club last month with his tally of games for the club on 99, and started compiling a new total with the Marist club in Whangarei.
To date that tally only stands at two, and may never actually get into double figures with his representative duties set to take precedence. The thing is, Coughlan's influence is proving to be crucial for a youthful Marist team this season, even if it is only a fleeting cameo or two.
It is all good fodder for Coughlan, who is not only using club rugby to help recover from a major hip operation in the off-season, but is also making sure it provides him with plenty of ammunition for the inevitable changing room quips once the Northland team assembles.
In that particular area, Coughlan is hard to beat. Even the 99 game issue Coughlan brushes off with one of his classic one-liners.
"Unfortunately I finished on 99 games for North Harbour Marist but it's all good, all the good players finish on 99. All the best cricketers get out on 99 mate," Coughlan said.
"I was quite keen on getting my 100th game for North Harbour Marist, but I was told I had to get up here and play. It was quite different coming from Marist in North Harbour where the team was sitting first or second on the table to Marist up here who haven't won a game and were quite down in the doldrums," he said.
Tomorrow Coughlan hopes his team can do what everyone has found extremely difficult in the Northland wide club championship this season, and somehow conjure up a victory over frontrunners Wellsford.
Even if they do it won't have much impact on the competition table, but it will make a big difference at the Marist club.
"Club rugby up here seems to be as physical as anywhere I have played, the hits are there and everyone works hard. But coming into a team that hasn't won a game has been the biggest noticeable difference for me. It would be good to get a win and change that attitude thing a bit," he said.
Perhaps the most critical game of the round will be between Moerewa and Waipu at Waipu, the latter keen to keep their momentum as they eye the semifinals. But Waipu are sure to be tested by a Moerewa outfit that is gaining more respect week by week.
Mid Northern, who are cherishing every moment they can get with David Holwell on deck, always have a battle against the Western Sharks and will be expecting another when they meet at Hukerenui.
Hora Hora are in full development mode for their game against Kamo at Hora Hora in what will be an intriguing encounter. Hikurangi have the bye.