KEY POINTS:
Prop Hikairo Forbes will make his Waikato debut in an Air New Zealand Cup rugby match against Northland in Whangarei on Thursday.
Forbes, 22, is the only change in the Waikato starting line-up from last week's pre-season hit out against Bay of Plenty.
Forbes will be supported by Aled de Malmanche, makes the switch to loosehead prop, with recent signing Oli Avei at hooker.
" Northland will be a great test for us first up," Waikato coach Tony Hanks said.
"They have had some good pre-season results and proved hard to beat in 2007, losing only once at home in last year's competition."
Waikato
Dwayne Sweeney, Sosene Anesi, Jackson Willison, Roimata Hansell-Pune, Tim Mikkelson, Callum Bruce, Malcolm Barnes, Liam Messam (captain), Tom Harding, Faifili Levave, Kevin O'Neill, Toby Lynn, Aled de Malmanche, Oli Avei, Hikairo Forbes.
Reserves: Kalem Chan Boon, Josh Hohneck, Kent Fife, Jordan Smiler, David Bason, Trent Renata, James Kamana.
- NZPA
