Makos ring changes for Northland match [Nelson Mail]

The Tasman Makos certainly aren't underestimating Northland's challenge although some battered bodies badly need a break.

After last Sunday's dramatic but draining 18-9 win over Hawke's Bay at Trafalgar Park, Tasman coaches Kieran Keane and Leon MacDonald have made seven starting changes for tomorrow's ITM Cup championship rugby clash against the Taniwha in Whangarei.

Hooker Francis Smith, lock Tevita Cavubati and No 8 Vernon Fredericks all get their first starts of the season in a revamped Tasman pack, prop Sila Puafisi also returning off the bench. Billy Guyton and Marty Banks, back from illness, will form a new inside back pairing, with Mitchell Scott getting a start on the wing.

It means that regular starters, hooker Quentin MacDonald, lock Joe Wheeler, loose forward Liam Squire and wing James Lowe, will all start off the bench, with halfback Mark Swanepoel, prop Tim Perry and first five-eighth Hayden Cripps being rested altogether.

Perry's absence sees Siua Halanukonuka move from tighthead, where he started against Hawke's Bay, to loosehead prop, with Puafisi reclaiming his familiar No 3 jersey.

However, Keane was quick to dispel any misguided notions that his table-topping Tasman side was in any way disrespecting the bottom-placed Northlanders. Tasman were in exactly the same situation two weeks ago and came embarrassingly unstuck against a similarly low-ranked North Harbour team.

Keane said that Tasman's inexplicable losing habit against lower ranked teams had been addressed and would continue to be addressed right up until kick off.

North Harbour have since moved off the bottom rung at Northland's expense, both teams having recorded only one win. Significantly though, Northland have won their last two matches against Tasman.

"The one aspect that we learnt very humbly last year was that if we didn't shuffle our deck, we'd just wear down our main players," said Keane. "It's a necessary evil. We need to show some depth in our squad and that'll impact later in the season when the whips are cracking.

"We needed to find an opportune time [to rest players] and we'd sort of planned this. It was all dependant, of course, on how we performed against Hawke's Bay. That's allowed us to do this and we think it will help us in the long term, but it definitely isn't about Northland."

The return of captain Rene Ranger to Northland's left wing highlights one of the clear threats to Tasman's hopes of arresting their two-match losing streak to the Taniwha. The selection of talented former Waitohi and Tasman first five-eighth Dan Hawkins will also be of interest to many Tasman supporters.

However, Keane stressed that they had more than just Ranger's obvious attacking skills to worry about tomorrow night.

"He's a spark plug for them . . . but they've also got some spark plugs in the pack, in the loose forwards, so they're dangerous and especially at home, they grow a leg.

"It's just yet another challenge and it's an opportune time to show our depth and give our guys an opportunity to make the squad a competitive squad. We basically think that we've got things covered. There will be fresh excitement... but also, in our back pocket, we've got quite a strong bench. So hopefully it'll work out."

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

What: Tasman v Northland Where: Toll Stadium, Whangarei When: Tomorrow, 7.35pm Referee: Mike Fraser (Wellington) Head to head: Played 7 (2006-2012), Tasman 4 wins, Northland 3 wins Last match: Northland 20 Tasman 17, Lansdowne Park, Blenheim, September 16, 2012 Tasman Makos: Robbie Malneek, Bryce Heem, Kieron Fonotia, Tom Marshall, Mitchell Scott, Marty Banks, Billy Guyton, Vernon Fredericks, Gary Redmond, Shane Christie (captain), Tevita Cavubati, Alex Ainley, Sila Puafisi, Francis Smith, Siua Halanukonuka. Reserves: Quentin MacDonald, Reuben Northover, Joe Wheeler, Liam Squire, Kaide Whiting, Andy Symons, James Lowe. Northland: Mathew Wright, Whiria Meltzer, Derek Carpenter, Viliami Tahitu'a, Rene Ranger (captain), Daniel Hawkins, Mac Sykes, Jake Paringatai, Dan Pryor, William Whetton, Bryce Williams, Tom Murday, Will-Griff John, Matt Moulds, Ross Wright. Reserves: Robbie Abel, Justin Davies, Dave Morgan, Ben Berridge, Sonatane Takulua, Ben Seymour, Warren Dunn