Rugby: McFarland now sees dual skills as a plus

By CHRIS RATTUE

On one hand, it could add another string to Slade McFarland's bow. On the other, the North Harbour forward might be dabbling with no-man's land.

After 91 games for his union as a hooker, the 27-year-old McFarland steps out as a prop today when North Harbour host Counties Manukau at Albany in the opening round of this year's NPC.

McFarland, who will play on the tighthead side, admits he felt "doom and gloom" when Harbour coach Wayne Shelford first suggested the move before the Maori trial at Whakatane in early June.

"If I had told Buck where to go I wouldn't be playing," McFarland said. "I had to work through it, but now I see it as adding something to my game. A positive.

"I don't really mind what people call me - a prop or a hooker. I've got to try to be good at both.

"The team know what I've sacrificed ... I'm not sure to what effect it will have on my career and anything like Super 12 selection."

It has been a topsy-turvy year for McFarland. He was rated by many as the best of the Blues last season, but then missed selection in this year's squad when Gordon Hunter preferred Southlander Davin Heaps and rising Auckland star Keven Mealamu.

A disappointed and undoubtedly confused McFarland, who had been the New Zealand A hooker just months earlier, headed to a Welsh club. But an injury to Crusader Matt Sexton saw him quickly return to New Zealand to join the champion Super 12 squad as Mark Hammett's back-up.

Believing that McFarland saw his future in Europe, North Harbour had already recruited Wellington hooker Ace Tiatia during the November transfer month. So McFarland found himself part of a mini-logjam of Harbour hookers.

He had played prop during his schoolboy career at Dilworth School and Rangitoto College, and Shelford saw an answer to his hooking dilemma that might also add a lot of mobility to the tight forwards.

So Slade McFarland (Mark II) was born. He will still get time as a hooker and the front-row equation has been further complicated by the recruitment of one-test Australian World Cup prop Rod Moore, who is also a tighthead and just happens to be flatting with McFarland.

The adjustments between hooker and prop, McFarland said, were enormous.

There were the obvious differences with scrum technique and lifting in, rather than throwing to, lineouts.

"I start psyching up about the scrums at the beginning of the week," he said. "Every team seem to have their All Black loosehead or someone who has been around for a while.

"A lot of it comes down to experience and I've been surprised at some of the tricks the props come up with. But you even have to run completely different lines.

"A hooker is more like a fourth loose forward. A prop has to hit one ruck after another. You're up the arse of everything. But I still intend to do a bit of running in the open as I always have.'

"Anyway, if there are any problems I can always slip straight back as hooker."

Which is how the Harbour coaching staff see it. Assistant Allan Pollock said one of McFarland's strength was his lineout throwing.

"Just ask the Crusaders' coaches. He is one of the best throwers around," Pollock said. "As the New Zealand A hooker he was rated the third hooker in the country and, as such, I would like to think he would be good enough to get in the Blues squad next time.

"We believe by playing at prop he will enhance his chances in being a top hooker who is also a genuine tighthead prop.

"There aren't too many of those around. We will give him game time at hooker, which will hopefully help to remind the Super 12 selectors of his abilities there."