It is a tall order to win at Eden Park and Otago will be missing some tall timber for its match against Auckland tomorrow.
Lock Josh Dickson is in camp with the All Blacks and fellow second rower Will Tucker is making his way back from a niggly calf injury. Fabian Holland and Josh Hill will take up the mantle in their absence.
Otago has made a couple of other changes to the pack that took the field for the 37-32 win over Southland on Sunday.
Regular captain James Lentjes is on the bench, and blindside Oliver Haig also drops to the pine and will provide locking cover.
Sean Withy and Sam Fischli take their places. Withy will captain the side while Lentjes is on the sideline.
There are two changes in a backline missing Thomas Umaga-Jensen, who is out for two weeks with a groin strain.
Ray Nu’u will start at second five instead, and New Zealand under-20 winger Jake Te Hiwi will make his first start for Otago.
He gets the nod ahead of Freedom Vahaakolo, who drops to the bench.
Te Hiwi came on late during the 18-13 win over Hawke’s Bay in Dunedin. It was his debut and he was called on to secure a cross-field kick as the Magpies chased a late try to steal victory.
Otago’s track record against Auckland at Eden Park has not been terribly impressive during the years.
Its 32-25 win in 2011 snapped a losing streak stretching back to 1976.
Otago has added another win over Auckland at Eden Park since then, though. It beat Auckland 31-26 in 2018, which was the last time the two sides met.
Auckland has three wins from four games and leads the Evens pool of the NPC, but it was beaten 21-17 by Bay of Plenty at Eden Park in its last outing.
Otago started with a disappointing 23-22 loss to Counties-Manukau.
However, it has won its past three games and shares top spot with Hawke’s Bay in the Odds pool.
It is an important cross-over game for both sides. A win will greatly enhance each team’s prospects of reaching the playoffs.
Otago team
To play Auckland
Sam Gilbert, Jake Te Hiwi, Josh Timu, Ray Nu’u, Vilimoni Koroi, Josh Ioane, Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, Christian Lio-Willie, Sean Withy (captain), Sam Fischli, Josh Hill, Fabian Holland, Jermaine Ainsley, Henry Bell, Abraham Pole.
Reserves: Ricky Jackson, Josh Hohneck, Saula Ma’u, Oliver Haig, James Lentjes, James Arscott, Cameron Millar, Freedom Vahaakolo.
