QBE INSURANCE North Harbour team named to play Hawke’s Bay
McLean Park, Napier Sunday 17 October – kick off 4.35pm
NORTH HARBOUR WELCOME BACK All Blacks loosehead prop Tony Woodcock for his first appearance this season in what will be Harbour’s fourth consecutive Sunday afternoon game.
The 29-year-old Woodcock, with 69 test match appearances for the All Blacks, will bolster the Harbour pack that retains the well performed locking combination of All Black Anthony Boric and Blues player Filo Paulo.
Harbour coach Craig Dowd says Woodcock’s presence at training this week has notably lifted the intensity at the set pieces.
“It has been a real bonus to have Woody this week and the boys have really enjoyed training with him. He has made a real contribution and has taken ownership of the scrum sessions, which is an area of the game he takes very seriously. The other forwards have gone up a notch or two working with him.”
Dowd says this week the emphasis has been on remaining positive and finishing the season on a high, with Hawke’s Bay this weekend and Taranaki to finish the season next week.
“We have had a hard look at each other with an honesty session after the Wellington defeat and we have set a goal to win these last games so we can get some satisfaction from within the group.
“The boys are pretty focused and in a good frame of mind. Hawke’s Bay are a dangerous side with plenty of experience. They have some quality players right throughout the team so it will be a tough ask to win there, but we are confident we can do it.”
In other team changes, Tom Chamberlain returns from injury to take his place at blindside flanker while fullback Jack McPhee is also back in the starting team.
Chiefs’ tighthead prop Ben Afeaki may miss the match with an abdominal strain and has been bracketed with James Afoa, who has impressed in recent matches.
QBE INSURANCE North Harbour team vs. Hawke’s Bay:
1 Tony Woodcock (Marist)
2 James Parsons (Takapuna)
3 Ben Afeaki (Marist) / James Afoa (Northcote)
4 Anthony Boric (Marist)
5 Filo Paulo (Mahurangi)
6 Tom Chamberlain (Marist)
7 Malakai Ravulo (Helensville)
8 Mathew Luamanu (North Shore)
9 Chris Smylie (Massey) (C)
10 Ben Botica (North Shore)
11 Nafi Tuitavake (Massey)
12 Michael Harris (Northcote)
13 Jack Tarrant (Takapuna)
14 Ken Pisi (Massey)
15 Jack McPhee (Glenfield)
Reserves:
16 Manu Leiataua (Mahurangi)
17 James Afoa (Northcote) / Taione Vea (Silverdale)
18 James King (North Shore)
19 Richard Mayhew (Northcote)
20 Grayson Hart (Loan player)
21 Niko Ratumaitavuki (Massey)
22 Josh York (East Coast Bays)