Cribb suspended for fighting

By RICHARD BOOCK

Just when it seemed things couldn't get any worse for North Harbour's struggling national championship campaign, it has - this time courtesy of the New Zealand Rugby Union's judiciary panel.

The side languishing at the foot of the national provincial championship will have to make do without captain and No 8 Ron Cribb tomorrow night against Wellington, after he was handed a one-match suspension for fighting.

Cribb was sent off last weekend after a punch-up in Invercargill with his Southland opposite Paul Miller, who was also suspended for one match.

Cribb's suspension means that rookie Francis Stowers will come in at No 8, with hooker Joe Ward taking over the captaincy.

And as if Cribb's banishment was not bad enough, Harbour will also start tomorrow night's match without former All Black loose forward Troy Flavell, who has been relegated to the reserves.

Harbour officials claim Flavell's value as an impact player was behind the decision, rather than his poor disciplinary record.

Flavell, who missed virtually the entire Super 12 season after a three-month ban for stomping, was at the forefront of last weekend's donnybrook and received a yellow card for his trouble.

His starting place will be taken by former North Harbour flanker and one-time Highlander Craig Newby.

Stowers will make his NPC run-on debut in Cribb's absence, building further on a promising age-group career which included selection in the 1994 New Zealand secondary schoolboys' team

The 26-year-old, who stands 188cm tall and weighs 112kg, switched from the Auckland union in 1999 and played for North Harbour's second XV last winter.

Other features of Harbour's side include the promotion of South African halfback Chad Alcock to the starting XV, and the retention of Nick Evans at first-five eighth.

Alcock, latterly the Sharks' Super 12 scrumhalf, was picked ahead of Ben Meyer, and Evans became an automatic selection after Luke McAllister was ruled out with a hamstring strain.

Meanwhile, Wellington have made two changes to the side that outlasted Auckland in a high-scoring shoot-out last Friday at Eden Park.

Former test midfield back Pita Alatini comes into the side for Ma'a Nonu, who has All Black training camp commitments, and Riki Flutey replaces Paul Steinmetz at second-five-eighth.

North Harbour: Tusi Pisi, Rudy Wulf, Anthony Tuitavake, Andrew Mailei, Karl Te Nana, Nick Evans, Chad Alcock, Francis Stowers, Matua Parkinson, Craig Newby, Marty Veale, Blair Larsen, Tevita Taumeopeau, Joe Ward (captain), Tony Woodcock. Reserves: Slade McFarland, Peter Bielski, Troy Flavell, Brent Wilson, Ben Meyer, Hosea Gear, Dan Parkinson

Wellington: Christian Cullen, Lome Fa'atau, Pita Alatini, Riki Flutey, Sireli Bobo, David Holwell (captain), Jason Spice, Thomas Waldrom, Scott Waldrom, Kristian Ormsby, Ross Filipo/Kane Thompson, Ross Kennedy, Tim Fairbrother, Luke Mahoney, Kas Lealamanua. Reserves: Jason Macdonald, Neemia Tialata, Hemi Pou/Kane Thompson, Iva Motusaga, Piri Weepu, Paul Steinmetz, Conrad Smith.