Rugby: Northland lineout in firing line

Northland coach Bryce Woodward. Photo / Getty Images

All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen isn't alone in trying to formulate a fail-safe lineout.

Northland's coaching team also launched an inquiry after that set piece was diabolical during their provincial rugby loss to Bay of Plenty last weekend.

"The lineout killed us," was head coach Bryce Woodward's short summation after Northland blew a 14-3 halftime lead to lose 14-19 at Rotorua.

Six throws were pilfered in the first half alone.

A change of hooker early in the second half brought only minimal improvement, so there has been a focus on the lineout before tomorrow's night's Air NZ round two opener against Taranaki at North Harbour Stadium.

Watching the lineout unravel was an uncomfortable experience for Northland's new forwards coach Blair Larsen, but the former All Black lock-cum-loose forward has been busy revising strategies with Woodward this week.

Woodward blamed a break down in communication and suspected Bay of Plenty were able to decipher Northland's "simplistic" calls.

"The opposition caught up on it, they started to pick where the ball was going and we started to lose trust in each other," he said. "All of a sudden people were moving and twitching - it all fell apart."

Woodward has made only one change to his starting line-up and unsurprisingly it is in the second row where Auckland-born former Leinster lock Cam Jowitt makes his provincial debut.

The 2.01m Jowitt will soon be joined in the engine room by Western Force recruit Pat O'Connor, who has also been troubled by injury.

Jowitt, who had off-season hernia surgery, missed the trip to Rotorua in order to play for Northland B while O'Connor (neck) should be available for the fourth round clash with North Harbour.

O'Connor, who played eight games for the Force, and Jowitt were targeted last year when Woodward realised the lineout was an area of weakness - a fear validated last week.

"Cam gives us a lot more height, chuck a 2.01-metre lock in there and you'd expect improvement," he said.

Jowitt means Daniel Faleafa drops to the bench and Steve Baker is omitted from the 22-man squad.

Tim Dow continues to start at hooker with Mikaele Tuu'u in reserve.

Meanwhile, Northland will not have to counter hooker Andrew Hore and lock Jason Eaton after the All Blacks pair were unavailable for Taranaki due to the short turn around following their return from South Africa on Monday night.

Eaton will be in contention to play Hawke's Bay next Saturday while Taranaki assistant coach Neil Barnes was unsure when Hore would be available to log some game time before the second Bledisloe Cup test in Sydney on August 22.

However, loose forward Scott Waldrom makes a welcome return via the bench two months after he was injured in the Hurricanes' Super 14 semifinal loss to the Chiefs with a back injury.

Waldrom's return was timely, given openside Ben Souness was among the casualties as Taranaki fought back from a nine-point deficit to post a 21-9 victory at Tasman.

Taranaki first five-eighth Willie Ripia also injured an Achilles tendon during the match and has been replaced by Jack Cameron.

Tighthead prop Shane Cleaver will also miss the trip, after cuts became infected.

Michael Bent comes in to the front row while Chris Walker starts on the openside flank, where Waldrom will be injected at some stage.

North Harbour is hosting the match on Northland's behalf because the New Zealand Rugby Union deemed the re-sown surface at Okara Park in Whangarei unsuitable, after bad weather stunted its development.

- NZPA