Three games in eight days
Extensive changes have been made to the Southland Stags as they prepare to play three games in eight days.
Coach Dave Hewett said the changes were in part about managing workload, as well as giving players an opportunity to express themselves at the season’s end.
Only Manaaki Selby-Rickit and Phil Halder will run out in the same jersey they wore in Sunday’s loss to Bay of Plenty at Rugby Park.
The team will play Auckland in their final home game in this year’s Mitre 10 Cup tonight.
‘‘We need to be sensible and share the workload in Storm Week,’’ Hewett said.
‘‘It’s a great opportunity for us against a top premiership side and everyone loves to challenge Auckland and we’re certainly no different.’’
This late in the season and having the game against Auckland, who also face Storm Week, Hewitt said the aim was for the team to perform at their best.
‘‘They’re coming down here to our home and we’ll put up a performance that we’ll be proud of.’’
The starting XV includes 11 changes and a further two positional switches, with Tony Lamborn taking the captaincy and moving back to the blindside flank and Lewis Ormond moving from the left wing to fullback.
Shaun Stodart, Andrew Ready and Chris Apoua make up an all new front row with Brenton Howden partnering SelbyRickit at lock and Bill Fukofuka returning at No 8.
The backline has been fully revamped with Nico Costa getting another start at halfback, inside Tayler Adams who will make his second start of an injury-plagued season, with Matt Johnson and Aleki Morris-Lome to partner each other in midfield and Rory van Vugt and Jackson Ormond getting starts on the wing.
Viliami Tosi comes on to the bench as loose forward cover for the game.