Rugby: McAlister brings the snap

North Harbour should benefit from the extra snap Luke McAlister possesses when on his game. Photo / Dean Purcell

It doesn't seem that long ago, but try telling Luke McAlister.

Remember the night he got his cheekbone rearranged against the Wallabies in Sydney? It was August 22 and he's been sidelined since.

But North Harbour yesterday welcomed the All Black second five-eighth for their last home game of the Air New Zealand Cup, against Bay of Plenty at Albany tomorrow night.

He is one of two changes from the side beaten by Waikato last week, the other being the return of Chris Smylie at halfback in place of Matt France.

McAlister will start at No 12, outside Mike Harris, in a Harbour backline now armed with two big kickers and which should benefit from the extra snap McAlister possesses when on song.

Harbour might also have fancied getting test loosehead prop Tony Woodcock as well.

But Woodcock is selling meat in Britain this week with his front row chum Andrew Hore, as you do during the rugby season. Taranaki wouldn't have minded having Hore back either for their must-win clash with Auckland in New Plymouth tonight.

This being the current All Black environment, anything is possible,with even Ma'a Nonu expected to skip Wellington's trip to Whangarei on Sunday to do some promotion work for the New Zealand union. They could do with some right now, but that's hardly the point.

Leading players having holidays during the rugby season? Now there's a good idea. But if it sounds like, er, R and R, perish the thought.

Bay of Plenty will be fired up. They must win to keep their semifinal flame flickering, after dropping out of the top four, where they have sat for the entire championship until last weekend.

Waikato have gone for an unchanged lineup for their trip to Dunedin to play Otago tomorrow.

They are coming off a 33-22 win over North Harbour which pushed them to eighth on the table.

Their last two games are at home, to bottom-placed Counties-Manukau and Auckland, which might yet prove the clutch game in finalising the semifinal makeup.

For Waikato captain Liam Messam, the match should have special significance.

He will be up against Adam Thomson, another All Black contender for the end-of-year trip to the Northern Hemisphere. Show up well tomorrow and Messam can't hurt his chances of a recall.

Canterbury play Manawatu in Christchurch tonight, with the Ranfurly Shield on the line.

As the defending champions are fielding All Black forwards Owen Franks, Brad Thorn, Wyatt Crockett and Kieran Read - with Richie McCaw and Dan Carter on the bench - no prizes for guessing where the strong favouritism lies.