Daniel Braid is back on the openside against Waikato tomorrow night. Photo / Getty Images
Auckland coach Pat Lam has resisted the temptation to start a refreshed and motivated Troy Flavell in tomorrow night's showdown with defending champions Waikato.
Flavell will come off the bench for Auckland in a side that contains just two changes from that which beat Bay of Plenty in
convincing fashion in Mt Maunganui last week.
"[Starting him] would have been unfair on Troy," Lam said.
"It's his first time in the Auckland environment and there's a lot to learn in terms of structures and calls."
Lam was confident Flavell would bounce back mentally and physically from the disappointment of missing selection for the World Cup.
"As rugby players, we all go through that. It's about how you come back," Lam said.
"He has come back really determined to get into it. The break was important because the guy has had a huge workload as skipper of the Blues and then straight into that whole All Black campaign."
Daniel Braid has replaced Onosa'i Tololima-Auva'a at openside and Kurtis Haiu has returned at lock in place of Ali Williams, who picked up a hamstring strain in camp with the All Blacks during the week.
Steve Devine's continued absence due to a head knock suffered against Counties means Taniela Moa will again start at halfback in an unchanged backline, while 19-year-old Grayson Hart has been retained on the bench.
First choice hooker Derren Witcombe is also still unavailable. Lam said he was not able to provide an update on Witcombe's neck injury as the player was still undergoing medical tests but he was "optimistic' he would be cleared to play again soon.
Waikato coach Warren Gatland has named a similarly settled side with Marty Holah's return to the openside flank the only personnel change.
To accommodate Holah's return, Steven Bates switches to blindside with Steven Setephano dropping out of the squad altogether.
Former captain Jono Gibbes is once again on the bench, while halfback Brendon Leonard makes his final appearance of the season before joining the All Blacks for World Cup duty.
