Waikato team to play Taranaki

Waikato coach Chris Gibbes is keen to see his team perform well away from home when the Mooloos meet Taranaki in their Air New Zealand Cup rugby match on Firday.

"We are focusing again this week on lifting our performance and in particular how we perform away from home," Gibbes said.

"It is a big match with the Ryan Wheeler Memorial Trophy again up for grabs. The trophy means a lot to us, as it does to Taranaki, so come Friday night it is going to be a good battle."

Gibbes has named the same Waikato forward pack that beat Wellington in last week's match at Yarrow Stadium.

Meanwhile, in the backs winger Tim Mikkelson gets a start ahead of Henry Speight and Save Tokula is bracketed with Roimata Hansell-Pune at No 13, with Gibbes awaiting the result of Tokula's judicial hearing later this afternoon.

Waikato are sitting in ninth place on the table with 17 points, while Taranaki are in eighth place with 18 points.

"It is going to be a big match, a big challenge and we are focused on fronting up on Friday night," Gibbes said.

Waikato
Sosene Anesi, Tim Mikkelson, Save Tokula/Roimata Hansell-Pune, Callum Bruce, Dwayne Sweeney, Trent Renata, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Alex Bradley, Jack Lam, Liam Messam (captain), Kevin O'Neill, Romana Graham, Latu Talakai, Ole Avei, Hikairo Forbes.

Reserves: Vern Kamo, Lionel Wairau, Kent Fife, Jordan Smiler, David Bason, Jackson Willison, Henry Speight.

- NZPA