Flavell's ready to go ... but where is a mystery

By CHRIS RATTUE - North Harbour 39 Bay of Plenty 33

Troy Flavell's best test role remains a mystery and his North Harbour coach, Russell Jones, is not providing any pieces for the puzzle yet.

The 25-year-old Flavell returned from the knee injury which wrecked his Super 12 season as North Harbour held off Bay of Plenty in their NPC opener at Albany.

Flavell missed last year's NPC and injury has made him unavailable for John Mitchell's All Blacks. So Flavell's place in Mitchell's scheme is unknown. But many believe he can give vital power and aggression to the All Black pack, although whether it is at lock, flanker or off the bench remains a question.

Under Wayne Smith last season, Flavell went from being a test lock to blindside flanker.

In a double change on Saturday night, Harbour coach Jones brought Flavell and Matua Parkinson on for loose forwards Andrew Gallagher and Craig Newby in the 51st minute.

Harbour captain Mark Robinson said it had been a tough comeback for Flavell.

"It is a great lift for the team to have him back, but it was his first game since mid-April and Troy didn't have much juice left in the legs," said Robinson.

Jones, after his first game in charge of the NPC side, said Flavell was "more than effective" at lock and flanker.

"At this stage I'm undecided where he will play. It will depend on things like who we are playing."

A fit Flavell will be a big chance for the end-of-season All Blacks tour to England, France and Wales.

His troublesome kneecap survived the half-hour battle with the Bay, and also held up well at Harbour's four-day camp at Whangamata in late July.

"I was quite stoked," Flavell said. "I did all the contact training. The kneecap held up and didn't show any swelling after the training sessions.

"He [Mitchell] gave me a ring ... and said he'd keep me in the frame."

Harbour are fielding a young side, so Flavell will have a vital influence, although whether it is a calming one remains to be seen. It was the typically robust Flavell who immediately got involved in a scuffle with a Bay forward.

Bay of Plenty looked out of the hunt, down 29-6 at halftime and 36-16 going into the last quarter.

A Sam Hala try in the 78th minute - after fine evasive running from the wing - secured two bonus points for the Bay in a match in which they were a distant second most of the time.

And Bay coach Vern Cotter claimed the wiping out of an early try to Hala may have cost them victory.

After the move of the match, Hala was scragged by Newby in the corner.

Referee Lyndon Bray consulted a touch judge, then ruled out the try although television replays showed Hala may have scored.

Video referees are not used in the NPC round robin because television cannot guarantee consistent quality of camera angles.

"We scored five tries but were awarded only four," Cotter said. "Sam's try would have been vital to us, to stay in touch with Harbour, especially starting into the wind.

"The players felt it was scored. It is good to be able to fall back on technology. It was available tonight so why couldn't it have been used?"

The Bay were also hurt by four of Glen Jackson's goalkicks hitting the posts.

In contrast, 18-year-old national colt Luke McAlister - playing his first NPC game - landed the goals for North Harbour.

Jones and Robinson were disappointed that Harbour had let their strong position slip.

"This is a good little kick up the backside," Robinson said.

* Canterbury have cancelled a plan to loan former All Black centre Nathan Mauger to North Harbour.

Canterbury told Harbour chief executive Doug Rollerson at the weekend that they would not release Mauger because of concerns over All Black centre Mark Robinson's fitness.