Northland vs Southland
Whangarei, 2.35pm
The lowdown: There will be a lot wrong with Northland if they can't pick up an elusive win in the revamped national provincial championship in 2006.
Not that we're trying to rub it in, but it's been 1400 days since they last won an NPC
match, beating Bay of Plenty on September 28, 2002.
That's a lot of depressing post-match speeches and, in an effort to accentuate the positive, a lot of thanking the ladies for the plate.
They have a new coaching team, Mark Anscombe and All Black great Bruce Robertson, a new captain, Gus Collins, and Auckland and Blues halfback David Gibson has also been lured north of the Brynderwyn hills as part of a loan deal.
The Cambridge blues also beat North Harbour in their final pre-season hit-out.
Southland have hardly set the pulses racing in their pre-season campaign, being beaten by Otago and tripping up 22-16 against newcomers Tasman. The loss to the Makos was a "kick in the arse", according to forwards coach Paul Henderson. The Herald on Sunday would like to point out that violence is never the answer.
One to watch: Reserve fullback Marshall Milroy has played sevens for Australia and can apparently run like the wind (more a gentle northerly than a southerly blast).
Why Northland will be better in 2006: Gus Collins. The blindside flanker played 83 games for Northland before he relocated to the big smoke in 2000. With him returned to fitness, Northlanders will fight alongside him on the beaches, on the landing grounds, in the fields, in the streets and in the hills. They shall never surrender!
