North Harbour strengthened their squad for the 2008 Air New Zealand Cup by signing London Wasp Dave Walder, Bath’s Martin Purdy and Munster’s Jeremy Manning.
Walder, the former Newcastle Falcons and England 10, heads to New Zealand after losing his place to new sensation Danny Cipriani in the Wasps side. Lock Purdy also had a spell at Wasps after turning out for Cambridge University and England Under-21. Manning returns to New Zealand after three years in Ireland, having represented the Marlborough union before their merger into Tasman and also the New Zealand Secondary Schools side.
Harbour open their campaign against Taranaki, the side that pipped them into eighth spot last year, in August.