Top prop gives Harbour huge boost

Tony Woodcock training in South Africa last month. Ross Land / Getty Images

"I'm in."

As brief statements of intent go, Tony Woodcock's late night message to his North Harbour coach Allan Pollock ahead of Sunday's Ranfurly Shield challenge in Christchurch is tough to top.

The All Black is rated the world's best loosehead prop. He was not due back in the Air New Zealand Cup until next week. A cluster of 16 players are in line to return this weekend, but Woodcock is one of eight players given an extra week off as recuperation from the Tri-Nations programme.

However, the 25-year-old Woodcock jumped the gun and joins fellow All Blacks Luke McAlister and Greg Rawlinson in giving Harbour a big boost as they look to lift the shield for the first time against Canterbury.

Pollock said Woodcock, who has played 23 tests, had contacted him on Tuesday morning saying he wanted to play and would be approaching the All Black management. Then came the confirmation call that night.

Harbour had made no approach - the move had come on Woodcock's initiative.

"It was a very pleasant surprise," Pollock said. "We are certainly not going to look a gift horse in the mouth."

Pollock applauded the New Zealand Rugby Union instigating stand-down periods to give the country's elite players a break.

"And if an individual says: 'I'm in tune with my body, I'm a professional athlete and I'm not going to put myself at risk and really want to play', then it's a win-win I'd suggest. This literally came out of the blue. But isn't it best that they are returning to the game because they want to?"

Several Harbour players knew nothing of Woodcock's surprise return. Eyebrows were raised when they arrived at training and it provided a timely boost for the squad ahead of the shield game which history has loaded against them.

Pollock praised Woodcock's professionalism in getting to training two hours ahead of everyone else yesterday to familiarise himself with Harbour's systems and calls.

The Kaukapakapa farmer has been away from his provincial mates on All Black duty since the August 5 win over Taranaki.

Harbour have unsuccessfully challenged 10 times for the shield, dating back to 1986, most memorably - if not for the union - in 1996 when they had three cracks in six weeks.

Canterbury have All Blacks Aaron Mauger and Leon MacDonald available for Sunday.

Most interest this week in the Top Six matches will focus on how much the All Blacks lift the quality of football, much of which has been ordinary in the inaugural cup format.

In Auckland's case, they have three backs returning - captain Sam Tuitupou, Isaia Toeava and Joe Rokocoko - for the visit of Otago to Eden Park on Saturday night. That team is named this morning.

Otago have experienced Anton Oliver returning, and after this week's surprise expose of him posing sans clothes for a Dunedin artist, woe betide anyone muttering references at scrum time to the naked hooker.

Halfback Byron Kelleher is available for Waikato against Wellington in Hamilton on Saturday, but not Mils Muliaina, who is one of seven players given, and taking, an extra week off.

Wellington welcome back hardman Jerry Collins, halfback Piri Weepu and prop Neemia Tialata.