KEY POINTS:
A small but vocal group of North Harbour supporters are about to get their wish.
Pretty much from the first whistle of last Saturday's Ranfurly Shield victory over Taranaki, shouts of "bring on the Double D" rang out at North Harbour Stadium.
"Double D" is 20-year-old Northcote halfback Daniel Devereaux. Last week Harbour coach Wayne Pivac resisted the continued calls for Devereaux's introduction. But tonight, following the departure of Manu Samoa World Cup halfback Junior Poluleuligaga, Pivac's hand has been forced against Counties Manukau at Mt Smart Stadium.
Devereaux will make his first national championship start.
"It is a big opportunity for him," Pivac said.
"He is just another one of the young guys in the academy system that is coming through. Hopefully the forwards can play well enough to give him a good ride in his first start."
Glenfield halfback Brett Ingham has been brought in to provide cover on the bench.
The biggest challenge facing his side was replicating last week's intensity in a non-Shield match in an empty, cavernous stadium, Pivac said.
"We had a big effort [last] Saturday night and that was evident in the changing room. A lot of guys were pretty spent. I guess it is a good test for us to see if we can step up to keep that level of intensity."
Counties Manukau will also be on the hunt for that illusive intensity after their Lay Down Sally impression against Canterbury last week.
"As a group we were all just gutted," said coach Kevin Putt of a display that came as a shock after a strong showing against Auckland in round one.
"We've done the work this week and guys have fronted up and taken responsibility. Now the test will be how the boys shape up on the field."
Putt has resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes, with fullback Nigel Staniforth the only casualty from the 52-13 defeat.
"If it was one or two guys that had fallen flat in that game then maybe you start to look at changes.
"Certain guys have accepted certain amounts of responsibility and there is a good buzz there now, as you'd expect. It's not a matter of how you fall, it's how you get back up again."
