Official team lists for this week's round of the National Provincial Championship, with quarter-finals spots on the line.
North Harbour v Auckland
7pm Friday, October 7
North Harbour Stadium, Albany
Prop Angus Ta'avao and flanker Blake Gibson will bring up 50 games for their province, when Auckland travel across the Harbour Bridge for their quarter-final clash with crosstown rivals North Harbour.
After turning out for the Blues during Super Rugby Pacific, utility back Jack McKenzie make his provincial debut off the bench, while All Blacks Patrick Tuipulotu and Akira Ioane return in time for a playoff run.
League convert Roger Tuivasa-Sheck continues his bid for a regular All Blacks spot, starting on the wing, after a late switch from the midfield last week against Taranaki.
North Harbour: 1-Tevia Langi, 2-Ray Niuia, 3-Nic Mayhew, 4-Isoa Nasilasila, 5-Felix Kalapu, 6-Tamarau McGahan, 7-Jed Melvin, 8-Cameron Sufoa, 9-Jamie Booth, 10-Bryn Gatland, 11-Tevita Li, 12-Henry Taefu, 13-Moses Leo, 14-Mark Telea, 15-Shaun Stevenson
Reserves: 16-Luteru Tolai, 17-Alex Fidow, 18-Sam Davies, 19-Danny Drake, 20-Lotu Inisi, 21-Siaosi Nginingini, 22-Fine Inisi, 23-Kade Banks
Auckland: 1-Alex Hodgman, 2-Soane Vikena, 3-Angus Ta’avao, 4-Patrick Tuipulotu, 5-Hamish Dalzell, 6-Akira Ioane, 7-Blake Gibson, 8-Jackson Pugh, 9-Taufa Funaki, 10-Harry Plummer, 11-Tomas Aoake, 12-Corey Evans, 13-AJ Lam, 14-Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 15-Jordan Trainor,
Reserves: 16-Leni Apisai, 17- Jordan Lay, 18-Marcel Renata, 19-Josh Beehre, 20-Terrell Peita, 21-Manu Paea, 22-Simon Hickey, 23. Jock McKenzie,
Wellington v Hawke's Bay
2pm Saturday, October 8
Sky Stadium, Wellington
Wellington have made two changes to their starting side to face Hawke's Bay in their NPC quarter-final on Saturday.
Jackson Garden-Bachop takes the No.10 jersey as Aidan Morgan drops to the bench, while PJ Sheck comes into the front row.
On the bench, hooker Josh Southall is in line for his Wellington debut, with James O'Reilly unavailable through a calf injury.
Wellington: 1-Xavier Numia, 2-Asafo Aumua, 3-PJ Sheck, 4-James Blackwell, 5-Dominic Bird, 6-Caleb Delany, 7-Du'Plessis Kirifi (c), 8-Peter Lakai, 9-TJ Perenara, 10-Jackson Garden-Bachop, 11-Pepesana Patafilo, 12-Peter Umaga-Jensen, 13-Billy Proctor, 14-Julian Savea, 15-Ruben Love
Reserves: 16-Josh Southall, 17-Solomona Sakalia, 18-Tietie Tuimauga, 19-Taine Plumtree, 20-Keelan Whitman, 21-Richard Judd, 22-Aidan Morgan, 23-Connor Garden-Bachop
Hawke's Bay: 1-Pouri Rakete-Stones, 2-Tyrone Thompson, 3-Joe Apikotoa, 4-Isaia Walker-Leawere, 5-Tom Parsons (c), 6-Marino Mikaele-Tu'u, 7-Sam Smith, 8-Devan Flanders, 9-Brad Weber, 10-Lincoln McClutchie, 11-Lolagi Visinia, 12-Danny Toala, 13-Stacey Ili, 14-Neria Fomai, 15-Chase Tiatia
Reserves: 16-Kianu Kereru-Symes, 17-Mark Braidwood, 18-Joel Hintz, 19-Bryn Evans, 20-Josh Kaifa, 21-Ereatara Enari, 22-Caleb Makene, 23-Ollie Sapsford
Canterbury v Northland
4:30pm Saturday, October 8
Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch
Canterbury: 1-Tamaiti Williams, 2-Brodie McAlister, 3-Oli Jager, 4-Sam Darry, 5-Zach Gallagher, 6-Dominic Gardiner, 7-Tom Christie, 8-Billy Harmon, 9-Mitch Drummond, 10-Fergus Burke, 11-George Bridge, 12-Rameka Poihipi, 13-Braydon Ennor, 14-Manasa Mataele, 15-Chay Fihaki
Reserves: 16-George Bell, 17-Finlay Brewis, 18-Owen Franks, 19-Corey Kellow, 20-Liam Allen, 21-Willi Heinz, 22-Dallas McLeod, 23-Ngantungane Punavai
Northland: 1-Jarred Adams, 2-Bruce Kauika-Petersen, 3-Ofa Tu'ungafasi 4-Liam Hallam-Eames, 5-Sam Caird, 6-Rob Rush, 7-Jonah Mau'u, 8-Matt Matich(capt), 9-Sam Nock, 10-Rivez Reihana, 11-Heremaia Murray, 12-Blake Hohaia, 13-Tamati Tua, 14-Jone Macilai, 15-Josh Moorby
Reserves: 16-Ross Wright, 17-Coree Te Whata-Colley, 18-Sila Puafisi, 19-Allan Craig, 20-Sam McNamara, 21-Lisati Milo-Harris, 22-Dan Hawkins, 23-Rene Ranger
Waikato v Bay of Plenty
2pm Sunday, October 9
FMG Stadium, Hamilton
All Blacks midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown will make his return from a shoulder injury layoff, starting for Waikato in their quarter-final against Bay of Plenty.
A week on from the Mooloos' 35-34 victory over the same opposition, Lienert-Brown is the most significant change to the side, partnering Bailyn Sullivan in midfield and dropping D'Angelo Leuila to the bench.
Patrick McCurran is named at blindside flanker, joining brothers Mitch and Luke Jacobson as the loose forward trio.
Loose forward Jack Lam can bring up his 50th Waikato appearance, named on the bench as cover.
Waikato: 1-Ayden Johnstone (cc), 2-Rhys Marshall, 3-George Dyer, 4-Hamilton Burr, 5-Laghlan McWhannell, 6-Patrick McCurran, 7-Mitch Jacobson (cc), 8-Luke Jacobson, 9-Xavier Roe, 10-Damian McKenzie, 11-Daniel Skinson, 12-Anton Lienert-Brown, 13-Bailyn Sullivan, 14-Liam Coombes-Fabling, 15-Tepaea Cook-Savage
Reserves: 16-Pita Anae Ah-Sue, 17-Ollie Norris, 18-Sefo Kautai, 19-James Tucker, 20-Jack Lam, 21-Cortez Ratima, 22-D'Angelo Leuila, 23-Tana Tuhakaraina
More to come
