Early developers' chance to come of age

IN STYLE as well as content, the Irish Development XV attempt to boldly go where no Irish team has gone before when taking on Northland in the opening match of their seven-game tour at the Lowe Walker Stadium tomorrow night (kick-off 7.30 p.m. local time, 8.30 a.m. Irish time).

Winning these matches is not paramount; development is the watchword of this tour. Thus more relevant is the evolution of a new playing pattern - with a far greater emphasis on a possession-oriented, 15-man running game - and the development of new international players.

Nevertheless, winning or, at the very least, a competitive performance would help, given that this game and Monday's match against the New Zealand Academy in Albany outside Auckland could be the benchmarks for the tour.

It may help that this is a fresh, relatively untried team. They are eager to learn and have been receptive to the new ways of coach Brian Ashton. And amid the smattering of six comparative new-comers the 24-year-old Wasps loose-head Darren Molloy, the Ballymena hooker Stephen Ritchie, Bath's Brian Cusack, 20-year-old David Wallace, Terenure winger David Coleman and centre Justin Bishop - there are a few presented with a chance to revive their international careers.

This is another chance for the likes of Ciaran Clarke, Niall Woods, Rob Henderson, Stephen McIvor, Anthony Foley, Eddie Halvey and Gary Halpin, and with Ashton on board the slate has been wiped clean.

The health of Gabriel Fulcher, the squad's most-capped player and number two jumper, is a concern. His sprained ankle will undergo a precautionary X-ray today, and while the management remain optimistic about his participation, Rory Sheriff remains on standby.

Humphreys carries a significant load as place-kicker and link man. A natural all-round talent, Humphreys comes here after a prolific run with London Irish in their mentally demanding escape from relegation.

He seems to have settled into a more consistent game in the latter half of the season, and he represents the experienced end of the team," observed Ashton. "Despite the fact that we're trying to make all the players to be decision makers there's no doubt that what he (Humphreys) does on Thursday night will have a major bearing on how the game goes.

"He's been kicking well, he's been playing well and as an individual runner he's scored quite a few tries toward the end of the season. The lads in the Bath back division rate him quite highly and they're pretty hard to please, those lads."

Too often in the recent past, Irish teams have leaked tries. Accordingly, the team was picked three days in advance so they could augment defensive practice in Limerick for much of yesterday's session at the match venue; both off rocks and scrums.

"We needed to have a look at defending the blind side of scrums because we've been playing with new laws out here. The number eight has got to pack in between the flanker and the lock so it leaves that bit of extra space on the blind side, which we can exploit as well as every other side."

Northland have been agonisingly close to promotion to New Zealand's first division in each of the last three seasons, topping the table only to lose out in the play-offs for three years running. They started this season's campaign with three straight wins - 80-7 over the Vikings, a hastily assembled composite selection, Counties Manakau (63-26) and North Harbour (33-22).

Northland have a proud record against touring international" teams, regarding this as their 23rd such encounter - a record for a New Zealand province - in 22 years.

They've won more than half these games. The Lions were run close here, 30-17, four years ago and the Scots were beaten 15-11 last year. Northland are, as their highly regarded, innovative new coach from North Harbour Wayne Pivac commented, "out to take a scalp".

Under Pivac, Northland are adhering to the blueprint of reigning Super 12 champions and unbeaten league leaders the Auckland Blues, where they like to split the pack, committing only half to rucks wide out, and then switch play to attack opposing backs with beefy forwards. They'll run everything, certainly from outside their 22.

The star of the team is right winger Norman Berryman - a huge, straight-running winger in the Tuigamala style. Berryman has played for the Auckland Blues this season and has been a New Zealand trial list for the previous two seasons.

The team is sprinkled with New Zealand trialists, Maoris and Colts. They clearly remain confident of a home win and so will the anticipated crowd of 6-8,000.

It looks like being a big test for Ashton's likely lads and the odds seem to favour Northland. But, either way, it should be a revealing evening.