North Harbour are edging closer to appointing their coach for the 2009 provincial rugby season, with two former coaches reportedly featuring on the shortlist.
All Black great Wayne `Buck' Shelford, who was head coach for the 1998 season, and Allan Pollock -- the man in charge when North Harbour won the Ranfurly Shield for the first time in 2006 -- are included in a list of familiar faces.
Craig Dowd, the head of Harbour's rugby academy, provincial stalwarts Liam Barry and Blair Larsen plus current assistant coach Milan Yelavich are all in contention, as is Northland head coach Mark Anscombe.
The Sunday Star Times newspaper today named Harbour staff coach John McKittrick as the eighth and final candidate in contention to replace Wayne Pivac.
Shelford, who last coached at the top level with England's Saracens in 2002-03, is also understood to be interested in the Auckland job vacated by Shane Howarth after the defending Air NZ Cup champion lost the Ranfurly Shield -- and missed the Cup quarterfinals.
Pollock and Dowd have also put their names forward for the Auckland job as the Blues leading franchise teams seek to regroup after demoralising provincial campaigns.
Dowd is thought to be the early frontrunner for the Harbour job so his rivals' hopes may hinge on whether the former All Blacks prop is rated by Auckland.
Meanwhile, the rumour mill suggests Auckland is attempting to luring Tana Umaga back from France.
The former All Blacks captain is struggling at his first coaching role at Toulon -- his poor record since guiding the team to promotion continued last week when they were drubbed by 50 points in the second-tier Challenge Cup by Northampton.
