Northland Taniwha look to getting back to winning ways

Pisi Leilua will play on the wing instead of his usual position at fullback against the Tasman Mako this afternoon. Photo / Michael Cunningham

All the stats bar one point in favour of Northland over Tasman ahead of their clash in what's perhaps the Taniwha's season-defining game this afternoon.

In a weekend replete with the best of Bunnings Warehouse NPC matches, the Tasman-Northland game in Nelson will have a major bearing on the playoff chances of all teams in the Evens Conference, except winless Manawatu.

Canterbury are in pole position with 36 points - 11 points clear of Auckland sitting on 25 - while Northland, North Harbour, Tasman and Taranaki are all in with a chance.

The Mako are fourth on 19 points with the Taniwha one behind them in fifth.

All teams in that conference have played eight games so far except Northland, the Taniwha with one less outing and currently sitting on 18 points, having won four and lost three.

Northland captain Tom Robinson is still out of action and seasoned campaigner Sam McNamara is out injured but the team welcomes back experienced first five Dan Hawkins from suspension.

Head coach George Konia has decided to stick with the tried and tested for today's match at Trafalgar Park as Northland look to win at least their next couple of games and aim for a home quarter-final.

Veteran hooker Matt Moulds will once again lead the team and comes up against powerful Highlanders scrummager Andrew Makalio.

Jarred Adams and Coree Te Whata-Colley will provide more grunt up front, packing down on either side of Moulds in the scrum, and the trio will rely on their second rowers Josh Goodhue and Sam Caird to keep the scrum steady.

Feisty Matt Matich takes the place of McNamara at blindside and with hard-hitting Jonah Mau'u at openside and Rob Rush at No 8, Northland should form a formidable loose trio ready to impose themselves up front.

Sam Nock and Rivez Reihana form the halves pair while Josh Moorby returns from injury to take his place at fullback.

An interesting battle is looming in midfield. Tamati Tua and Blake Hohaia line up against in-form Chiefs centre Alex Nankivell and Levi Aumua of Moana Pasifika.

Pisi Leilua shifts from fullback where he played last week to the right wing and Heremaia Murray has been retained in his favoured left wing position.

Hawkins, Rene Ranger and Lisati Milo-Harris should provide the zing off the bench.

Northland will look to get back to winning ways after back to back losses against Canterbury and North Harbour. The team have a short turnaround after today's match and travel to Tauranga to play Bay of Plenty on Wednesday evening before their final match against Manawatu in Kaikohe on October 2.

The last game has been moved to Kaikohe to keep Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei in top shape for the upcoming Women's Rugby World Cup.

This afternoon's match kicks off at 2.05pm.