N. Harbour should put up lively opposition

Press, 16 July 1986, Page 64

N. Harbour should put up lively opposition

PA Auckland North Harbour, which has come a long way this season, faces the distinction of a Ranfurly Shield challenge against Auckland at Eden Park this afternoon with a modest chance of victory. North Harbour’s prospects may improve if a couple of the wiser heads, Wayne Shelford in the pack and Mike Mills in the backs, can inspire the keen young players. Auckland, after its annihilation of Thames Valley last week, must start as the favourite, but North Harbour is likely to prove a much more confi-

dent proposition. Should this attitude produce the kind of inspired leadership which Shelford brought to his team in its win over the New Zealand Emerging Players last week, Auckland will be faced with problems this afternoon. Until it relaxed in the last five minutes against the Emerging Players and let in two converted tries, North Harbour was a tidy and effective team. It had a powerful shove in the scrum, Gary Braid did well wherever he , appeared in the line-out, as did Paul Leonard at the back, and Shelford

was dominating as he kept the forward play tight in the second half. The teams are:— North Harbour: Paul Feeney; Richard Kapa, Allan Pollock, Wayne Hill, Mike Mills, Frano Botica; PaUl McGahan; Wayne Shelford; Mark Anscombe, Mike Te Paa or Neil Bower, Gary Braid, Paul Leonard; Graeme Dowd, Clinton Jones, Ron Williams. Auckland: Greg Cooper; John Kirwan, Joe Stanley or Bernie McCahill, Terry Wright; Kurt Sherlock, Grant Fox; David Kirk; John McDermott; Alan Whetton, Gary Whetton, Andy Haden, Mark Brooke-Cowden; Warren Booth, lain Abercrombie, John Drake.