Atiga gets back to favourite position

Ben Atiga will be wearing the number 15 jersey for Auckland against Bay of Plenty tomorrow. Picture / Brett Phibbs

Injury to Brent Ward has handed Ben Atiga a chance in his favoured fullback spot for Auckland's national championship quarter-final against Bay of Plenty at Eden Park tomorrow.

However, Ward is unlikely to be banging his head against a wall in frustration; he was concussed in the high-octane loss to Canterbury last weekend and is suffering headaches.

The versatile Atiga has had a good season. Most of his time has been spent at centre with first choice goalkicker Ward locked into the No 15 jersey.

However, 23-year-old Atiga, whose solitary test appearance was at the 2003 World Cup in Australia, did well at fullback for the Junior All Blacks and likes the role.

"Ben is always our cover fullback," Auckland coach Pat Lam said yesterday.

"He was superb in the second half [against Canterbury] when Wardy went off and he kicked the goals [four from four] too. He's always been a fullback but was converted to centre, where he's played well."

Ward and hooker Derren Witcombe are the two ruled out by injury for tomorrow; Witcombe not ready to return after spraining both ankles against Canterbury.

Lam has made seven changes for the Bay's visit, two of them positional, but as has become his mantra this season, calls it the strongest team for this game. He has insisted squads, not teams, win titles and has stuck to that philosophy. There has been plenty of rotation.

The new starters from last week are Isaia Toeava at centre; Joe Rokocoko on the left wing; flankers Onosai Tololima-Auva'a and Andrew Blowers and hooker Keven Mealamu.

Tololima-Auva'a has his second start of the season with regular opensider Daniel Braid getting a break and Blowers is back from a slight hamstring strain.

The Bay are without hard-running wing Anthony Tahana who has a strained calf muscle. But they will field a respectable pack and Lam is steering clear of predictions of a romp, especially after a rude awakening when the Bay came to Auckland and led 20-6 in their pool game a few weeks ago, before losing 45-27.

"They're a dangerous side. They haven't lost since that game. Everyone's written them off, no one gives them a chance but not us. They always come with a good attitude," Lam said.

* After intimating returning lock Keith Robinson would get a rest tomorrow night against Southland, coach Warren Gatland yesterday named him to start.

Perhaps Robinson got the former All Black hooker in a headlock, such has been his relish at being back on the field after a couple of lost seasons through injury.

Robinson needed a cortisone injection and fluid drained from a knee before last Sunday's 80-minute effort against North Harbour. But, after making his return against Wellington a fortnight ago, he is eager to get a third successive slog behind him.

"He was off his feet for most of the week but now feels like he wants to get more rugby under his belt. We've looked after him," Gatland said yesterday.

Robinson will lock the scrum with Jono Gibbes, who takes over the captaincy, with regular skipper Steven Bates getting a turn on the bench as Liam Messam gets a start at No 8.

Waikato welcomed back first choice hooker Tom Willis, who has had two weeks off with a sprained ankle, and Aled de Malmanche gets a start at loosehead prop. David Hill returns from a hip injury and Brendon Leonard gets the halfback job, with All Black Byron Kelleher on the bench.

Southland have a decision to make at No 8 between Mark McHugh and Iona Sipa, but there's grunt in the pack and Jimmy Cowan, with a big point to prove to the All Black selectors, up against rising talent Leonard.