Waikato travel to the capital this week to face Wellington Lions at Sky Stadium, for a Bunnings NPC quarter final clash on Saturday afternoon.

Head coach, Ross Filipo, has made four changes to his starting XV that beat Canterbury last weekend. Both the front and second row remain untouched with the only change to the forward pack being at blindside flanker. Samipeni Finau, comes back into the match day 23 and takes over from Malachi Wrampling, who moves to the reserves to provide impact for this match.

In the backline there are only three changes, both Cortez Ratima and Taha Kemara return from injury and form a formidable halves pairing, taking over from Xavier Roe and Aaron Cruden respectively.

The final change to the starting XV has Quinn Tupaea coming off the bench and trading places with Austin Anderson to start at second five eight.

In the reserves, both halfback, Cortez Ratima, and outside back, Aki Tuivailala, come back into the match day 23 and will provide impact when called upon. Tuivailala is in line to achieve a milestone in this match.  When Tuivailala comes onto the field, he will be playing his third match for the province, earning him his Waikato tie.

Waikato take on Wellington Lions at Sky Stadium, Wellington, on Saturday afternoon, kick-off is at 4:35pm:

1.    Ayden Johnstone (Hautapu) - Captain

2.    Pita Anae-Ah Sue (Hautapu)

3.    George Dyer (Fraser Tech)

4.    James Tucker (Hamilton Marist)

5.    Hamilton Burr (Hautapu)

6.    Samipeni Finau (Hamilton Old Boys)

7.    Joe Johnston

8.    Simon Parker (Hautapu)

9.    Cortez Ratima (Otorohanga)

10.  Taha Kemara (Te Awamutu Sports)

11.  Tepaea Cook-Savage (Fraser Tech)

12.  Quinn Tupaea (Hamilton Old Boys)

13.  Tana Tuhakaraina (United Matamata Sports)

14.  Gideon Wrampling (Hamilton Old Boys)

15.  Daniel Sinkinson (Melville)

16.  Sean Ralph (Te Awamutu Sports)

17.  Ollie Norris (Hautapu)

18.  Solomone Tukuafu (Hamilton Old Boys)

19.  Malachi Wrampling (Hamilton Old Boys)

20.  Mitch Jacobson (Hautapu)

21.  Quintony Ngatai (Hautapu)

22.  Austin Anderson (Te Awamutu Sports)

23.  Aki Tuivailala (Hamilton Old Boys)

Article added: Friday 06 October 2023