Waikato give media scrum the big push

Waikato captain Steven Bates. Picture / Greg Bowker

Waikato have gone into shutdown, two days out from the national championship final.

With the exception of a press conference today with coach Warren Gatland and captain Steven Bates, the hosts will be counting down behind closed doors to the clash with Wellington at Waikato Stadium on Saturday night.

They have no injury concerns this week. Their three question marks before last weekend's semifinal against Otago - fullback Mils Muliaina, centre Richard Kahui and first five-eighths Stephen Donald - are all expected to start in the team named today to chase their first title since the inaugural NPC final in 1992.

And if any Waikato players require motivation, they might be in the wrong place on Saturday night.

"These are the games you earn your bread and margarine for," captain Steven Bates said.

"You don't play your best games early in the season, but this is what players play football for. You get excited about it, it's just natural. You don't need to talk about it."

Bates' wish for a full house on Saturday looks likely to come true.

By late yesterday, about 20,000 out of 25,000 tickets had been sold.

Meanwhile, Wellington coach John Plumtree has dismissed the idea that his team will be disadvantaged by playing the final away from the capital.

"We talk about how intimidating Waikato Stadium will be, but at the end of the day a lot of these guys have been at [Pretoria's] Loftus Versfeld in front of 60,000 blue flags and screaming Dutchmen," he said.

"Some cow bells won't worry them."