RUGBY - Hardman Dow seeks payback against 'Naki

Funny how things change.
It wasn't all that funny at the time though, especially as the last time the Taranaki rugby team played Northland in Whangarei they won 62-5.
But looking back now, Tim Dow can see some humour in it all, not just because the only five points Northland registered that day in 2004 were from him scoring a try.
"Try in that corner mate," Dow said when asked if he could recall Taranaki's last trip north.
"Things have changed a lot since then all right - I haven't scored tries in years," he said.
There is more to the transformation than that, of course, but for a starting point that's not a bad kick-off. It seems Dow's role in the team has changed quite dramatically since that game, from roving hitman to one of the grunt machines of a re-invented front row.
That season Dow topped the team try-scorers' list and was regarded as one of the best attacking runners with the ball, even though he was wearing the No.2 jersey and shouldering the workload of a tight forward as well.
These days Dow has a more traditional game plan to follow while being required to deliver 80-minute performances every week. The latter is unusual for a hooker these days as coaches often have a spare rake on the bench to rush into the action late in the game.
Not Northland. The tactic is to carry two spare prop forwards and relieve both starting props in the second half. Not that Dow is complaining, these changes suit him just fine, even if it means less try-scoring television time.
"Winning a few games is all right, that's the change that matters I suppose. To be honest, I quite enjoy the two-props situation, actually I love it," he said.
"Getting on the field knowing that, unless things go horribly wrong, you are out there for the whole 80 minutes is a real confidence-booster. It is good to know the coaches have a bit of faith in you."
"It kinda sucks at training though. It means you have to hit every scrum at training, you don't get to rotate. See, there's a downside to everything when you look hard enough."
Saturday's game against Taranaki will have more ups the downs for Dow though. It is his 50th appearance in the Northland jersey and, if he has anything to do with it, there are quite a few more to come.
After being considered for some lucrative overseas contracts during summer, Dow almost opted out and headed for the other hemisphere. Instead he got married, and decided to stay moored up in Whangarei.
He is one of seven current squad members who have survived in the Northland rugby team since 2004, and one of five players who started the game.
But he came very close to getting his Irish passport stamped during the off season and heading overseas.
"There were some offers and stuff that, if they had come about, would have been impossible to walk away from. The other clubs I could take or leave really, but not the main ones," he said.
Since then the focus has been on fitting in with the new Northland regime which these days means aiming at a possible quarterfinal spot. A loss tomorrow, though, would all but extinguish any quarterfinal aspirations.
"Against Taranaki the biggest challenge will be ourselves really.
"If we can really focus for 80 minutes and play good controlled rugby with the wind then we might just get there, but that's exactly what we didn't do against Southland last week."