Northland are slipping ever closer to the second division. Another miserable performance in Whangarei on Saturday evening saw them overwhelmed by North Harbour , 42-3.

This was the first time since 1998 that the home side had taken the field in NPC action without skipper Glenn Taylor. But the truth is that the big man has not been playing especially well this season and his presence would have made no difference here. As they have done all season, Northland could not hold on to the ball once they had worked themselves into threatening field positions and rith throughout the side looked short of class and confidence.

Harbour , themselves struggling in seventh place with a mere seven points before tonight's game , were reasonably efficient without having to play especially well. Skipper for the night Troy Flavell and no8 Blair Urlich were their best forwards, Flavell surely getting ever closer to an All Black recall after an injury-ruined last twelve months. Out in midfield , youngster Luke McAlister was deadly with his place kicking , amassing 17 points in all and enjoying the greater freedom since being moved from the fly half position.

Having withstood the expected early onslaught from Northland, Harbour scored at regular intervals, 21 points in each half, the game over as a contest well before half time. The highlight of the first half was an Urlich double, compensation perhaps for having been unnecessarily stamped on the head by at least one Northland forward ( when is stamping on the head ever necessary ? ) McAlister converted the first, and also kicked three penalties. 21- 3 at half time, Northland's solitary three points coming from a Hayden Taylor penalty.

The second half followed a similar pattern, a period of Northland pressure and grunt coming to nothing before Harbour scored three further tries to seal the bonus point in the final quarter. In that time they score two good , long range tries, both full back Evans and Flavell showing good speed to outflank the floundering defence.

I hope we hear nothing of Northland returning to the drawing board in the coming weeks. It would be far more useful to find a new squad of players from somewhere. Harbour move on to Christchurch for a Ranfurly Shield Challenge. Yes, it will certainly provide more of a challenge than they got in Whangarei.

y

Scorers :

Northland : 3 : Penalty : Taylor

North Harbour : 42 : Tries : Urlich ( 2 ), Mayerhofler, Evans, Flavell Conversions : McAlister ( 4 ). Penalties : McAlister ( 3 )

Teams :

Northland : Rhyan Caine, Fero Lasagavibau, Jason Shoemark, Robbie Johnson, Rupeni Caucaunibuca, Hayden Taylor ( captain ), Sam Pinder, Brett Waaka, Allen Tubbs, Vula Maimuri, Brad Taylor, Tim Henwood, Con Barrell, Jason Hammond, Mike Storey.

Subs : Tim Dow, Bronson Murray, Nisi Naufahu, Aaron Wright, Lee Peina, Regan Finch, Jason Hita.

North Harbour : Nick Evans, Scott Adams, Luke McAlister, Mark Mayerhofler, Hayden Reid, Tim Walsh, Billy Fulton, Blair Urlich, Matua Parkinson, Craig Newby, Mark Giacheri, Troy Flavell, Tevita Taumoepeau, Slade McFarland, Tony Woodcock.

Subs : Joe Ward, John Buchanan, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Gallagher, Brad Miller, Anthony Tuitavake