Rugby: Shelford wants victories, not entertainment

By CHRIS RATTUE

Wayne Shelford says North Harbour must stick to their new course of playing a more structured game if they are to challenge the big guns of New Zealand rugby.

The North Harbour coach has continually called for his side to be "winners not entertainers" this year, but performances have remained patchy.

And Shelford admitted "they may not want me again" when asked about his prospects if Harbour fail to make the top four.

A win against Southland in their final-round NPC match at Albany tonight could get Harbour into the playoffs, but they are dependent on other results, particularly Wellington beating Waikato in the capital this afternoon.

"It's been a bit of a rollercoaster this year," Shelford said. "We played more entertaining rugby last year with less structure, more passion, but it is tougher this year with the All Blacks back for most of the games.

"North Harbour have played that less structured way for many years, but you can't do that any more.

"The game has become very structured and even if you don't play the same way that teams such as Canterbury do, you've got to have your own pattern of playing.

"Otherwise you end up with players trying to do things on their own, and that won't work any more. This year we've wanted to have more structure and we've made a little bit of progress, but the players have struggled to stick to it all the time."

Shelford said his side were going through a changing of the guard, and it was imperative that the new breed take over from veterans such as Eric Rush and Walter Little.

Little, who turns 31 next week, is the most experienced first-class player remaining in New Zealand rugby and breaks prop Ron Williams' 145-game North Harbour record tonight.

He has another year left on his contracts, but Shelford said that while Little was still a good player, Harbour could not rely on the old guard forever.

Shelford also said that former All Black Marc Ellis, who has been deposed by the 22-year-old Willie Walker at first five-eighths, was considering taking a year off rugby in 2001.

Whether North Harbour have a top-four spot to play for could have a large bearing on how tonight's game is played.

Southland have managed just one win this season, against fellow strugglers Counties Manukau.

They will have 18-year-old halfback Jimmy Cowan starting ahead of Brett McCormack, while Brumbies centre Graeme Bond returns to the side following the death of his father last week.

North Harbour, without injured test No 8 Ron Cribb, have left Ellis and flying wing Karl Te Nana in the reserves.

North Harbour: Silao Leaega, Aisea Tuilevu, Rua Tipoki, Walter Little, Eric Rush, Willie Walker, Mark Robinson; Blair Urlich, Matua Parkinson, Craig Newby, Matt Lord, Troy Flavell (capt), Rod Moore, Ace Tiatia, Tony Coughlan. Res: Karl Te Nana, Marc Ellis, John Beckett; Manaco Tonga, Phil Weedon, Dean Thompson, Slade McFarland.

Southland: Aaron Kimura, Anthony Lafaiali'i, Graeme Bond, Joe Naufahu, Alex Telea, David Hill, Jimmy Cowan; Matt O'Connell, Simon Etheridge, Peter Ryan, Steve Jackson, Brendon Timmins (capt), Aaron Dempsey, Jason Rutledge, Clarke Dermody. Res: Faolua Muliaina, Shay Tipu, Brett McCormack; Brendan Pascoe, Mark Tinnock, Simon Kerr, Davin Heaps.