VENUE & TIME: Rugby Park, Invercargill, Friday September 10, 19.35 NZT.
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 17 – Southland 4, North Harbour 13.
LAST TIME: August 27, 2009 (Albany) – North Harbour 22-24 Southland.
LAST TIME AT VENUE: September 13, 2008 – Southland 43-7 North Harbour.
MATCH ODDS: NZ TAB (Tuesday): Southland $1.27, North Harbour $3.50.
WALKING WOUNDED: Kane Thompson was in doubt for much of the week due to assorted niggles picked up in the Northland match but he has been named to start. The other Southland changes – Jason Rutledge and John Hardie are back in the run-on side - were optional and predictable. Apart from Filo Paulo replacing Anthony Boric, who is in Sydney with the All Blacks, North Harbour has named an unchanged starting XV from the Waikato match.
FORM:
PAST FIVE:
Southland
Round 2: Beat Otago 16-12 (RS)
Round 3: Beat Counties-Manukau 13-9 (RS)
Round 4: Beat Hawke's Bay 23-20
Round 5: Beat Tasman 21-16
Round 6: Lost to Northland 22-33
PAST FIVE:
North Harbour
Round 2: Beat Northland 25-24
Round 3: Lost to Canterbury 22-44
Round 4: Beat Otago 35-23
Round 5: Lost to Bay of Plenty 29-39
Round 6: Lost to Waikato 27-36
Southland suffered its first defeat of the year at Whangarei last week, when the Northland backs took advantage of whatever opportunities they managed to create. This was despite the Stags dominating territory and possession to a huge degree, so the forwards did well enough and all three tries were prop rumbles from near the line. Since few teams have the backline strike power of Northland, the Southland coaches will just be looking for better first-up tackling this week. North Harbour had several shots at getting away from Waikato but every time they scored it was quickly followed by a mistake that let Waikato in, until the Mooloos got a small break just before halftime. They made it hold up through the second spell and Harbour actually fell a few points further behind by the end, slumping to a second straight defeat in a high-scoring contest.
WHO'S HOT: Southland skipper Jamie Mackintosh is having a strong season and is especially dangerous near the line; he scored two tries last week and has a team-leading four on the season to date. Fellow front-rower Chris King played just as well, bagging the other try in a powerful display. Mark Wells made an impact off the bench but by the time he got there Northland had its collective teeth well into the game and his best efforts were in vain. North Harbour has settled on Mike Harris at first-five and was rewarded when he turned in a very good display, running well and kicking all five goal attempts. But it's up front where the northeners need to fire up this week and plenty of pressure will be on lock James King, one of the better lineout men in the competition, and openside Malakai Ravulo to compete with the well-drilled Southland pack.
WE THINK: Having had a few deficincies exposed last week, Southland should come back better for the loss. We think the Stags, in front of their home fans again, will be too strong and should grind North Harbour down through the forwards before taking the game out by about 10 points.
TEAMS:
Southland: 1. Jamie Mackintosh (captain), 2. Jason