Teams Announced for Mitre 10 Cup Opener

Northland and North Harbour will clash in the opening fixture of the 2018 Mitre 10 Cup tomorrow. 

The last time these two sides met North Harbour beat Northland 22-31 in Whangarei last year. North Harbour finished third in the Mitre 10 Cup Premiership last season going down in the semifinals to Canterbury.

All Black and Highlanders flanker Dillon Hunt returns for North Harbour having represented Otago over the past three seasons while James Dargaville, who joined from the Brumbies starts for North Harbour.

Former Rebels flyhalf Jack Debreczeni will start his first game for Northland alongside fellow debutants Jack Straker, Isileli Tu'ungafasi, Kane Jacobson, Jono Kitto, Myles Throughgood & Scott Gregory while Rene Ranger returns from France to start on the wing.

TEAMS

North Harbour: 1.Nic Mayhew, 2.James Parsons (captain), 3.Sione Mafileo, 4.Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 5.Ben Nee-Nee, 6.Glenn Preston, 7.Dillon Hunt, 8.Murphy Taramai, 9.Bryn Hall, 10.Bryn Gatland, 11.Tevita Li, 12.Harrison Groundwater, 13.James Dargaville, 14.Matt Duffie, 15.Shaun Stevenson.

Substitutes: 16.Loteru Tolai, 17.Mike Tamoaieta, 18.Chris Eves, 19.Jacob Pierce, 20.Sione Teu, 21.Gjaltema Lewis, 22.Loketi Manu, 23.Mark Telea.

Northland: 1.Ross Wright, 2.Matt Moulds, 3.Jack Straker, 4.Tom Robinson, 5.Josh Goodhue, 6.Murray Douglas, 7.Kara Pryor, 8.Jaycob Matiu, 9.Sam Nock, 10.Jack Debreczeni, 11.Rene Ranger, 12.Blake Hohaia, 13.Tamati Tua, 14.Jordan Hyland, 15.Matty Wright.

Substitutes: 16.Jordan Olsen, 17.Isifeli Tu'ungafasi, 18.Ropate Rinakama, 19.Kane Jacobson, 20.Matt Matich, 21.Jono Kitto, 22.Myles Thoroughgood, 23.Scott Gregory.