Promotion reward for Botica

By CHRIS RATTUE

North Harbour 31 Bay of Plenty 7

Table-topping North Harbour are set to continue their split-game policy at first five-eighths after overcoming relegation-threatened Bay of Plenty.

Veteran Frano Botica finally got a start this season as Harbour held on to top spot for a second consecutive week with a convincing win in Tauranga.

In an unusual tactic for a pivotal position in top-level rugby, Botica and regular starter Willie Walker get around half a game each. This time, Walker came on for Botica in the second half as North Harbour cruised to victory in the Air New Zealand-sponsored competition.

Harbour backs coach Allan Pollock said the 38-year-old Botica was rewarded with a start on Saturday because of his contribution to the Harbour campaign this season.

"He has been of great support to Willie - it would have been quite easy for Frano to be unhappy at not starting," Pollock said.

"Having them share games is a good tactic. It really messes up the other side's plans - they virtually have to have two game plans.

"They're quite different players. Willy is muscular and is happy to really take defensive lines on, whereas Frano still has those twinkling feet.

"We had hoped it would work out as it has because they are both quality players."

Despite a 26-0 lead that had already secured a four-try bonus point, Harbour's over-ambitious efforts in the difficult conditions earned them a halftime blasting from coaches Wayne Shelford and Pollock.

Two players to benefit from what turned out to be a comfortable win were outside-back newcomers Anthony Tuitavake and Nick Evans.

Tuitavake, a national under-19 representative, scored 30 seconds after making his NPC debut.

Evans, who had just a minute on debut the previous week against Canterbury, scored two tries after replacing Glen Osborne, who has yet to get a touchdown this season.

After a promising start to the season, Bay of Plenty have lost four games in a row. They hurt themselves against North Harbour with a high mistake rate.

North Harbour and Auckland now occupy two of the first three places in the first division, which only lends weight to the criticisms of the Blues performance in this year's Super 12.

North Harbour captain Mark Robinson said: "We wanted to go out there and get back the lead, but Auckland look pretty classy - they're a team on the improve."

North Harbour hope to find out today whether All Black No 8 Ron Cribb and former test midfield back Mark Mayerhofler will be fit for Saturday's match against Taranaki at Albany.

Cribb has been resting a number of injuries and it was feared Mayerhofler's season could be over because of what appeared to be the recurrence of an old groin problem. But a scan has revealed that the injury is not too severe and, if fit, he will definitely start against Taranaki.