Rugby: Form book out the window for local derby - Lam

Blues prop Tony Woodcock has been named to play against the Chiefs after missing last week's game with an ear infection. Photo / Getty Images

The form book will go out the window for the Blues when they play Super 14 rugby neighbours the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday night.

The Auckland-based Blues are in the top four heading into round six, while the Chiefs have managed to claw themselves back to eighth after opening the season with three successive defeats.

Whatever the teams' relative positions, coach Pat Lam expects his players to face a typically fired-up home side and plenty of cowbells when they run on to Waikato Stadium.

"There's no form book, there's no table, it's just Blues and Chiefs," he said today.

"We know there'll be a big crowd and the bells will be ringing and these guys always come out firing, whether it's the Blues or Auckland."

Lam said the Chiefs had been true to their form of recent years of making a slow start to campaign before building up a head of stem.

Their return to winning ways over the past two weeks meant the upcoming fixture "would be their ideal game now".

"We're expecting quite a fiery start and a lot of passion," he said.

"We have to ensure we go down there collectively as a team. If we go there as individuals, we'll get blown off the park."

Lam produced a rarity in an age of rotation by naming an unchanged starting 15, although there remains doubt over loosehead prop Tony Woodcock, who has an ear infection.

He said Woodcock was keen to play, but needed to be 100 per cent.

If Woodcock was scratched, Tevita Mailau would be elevated from the bench, with Charlie Faumuina taking Mailau's spot in the reserves.

There are two other brackets on the bench, involving lock Anthony Boric and outside back Paul Williams, who are both lined up to return from the casualty ward.

Boric suffered an elbow injury in the round-three win over the Stormers in Cape Town, while Williams picked up a calf strain during the warm-up the following weekend.

Number eight Jerome Kaino missed the final part of training this morning because of a sore knee, but Lam was confident the player would be right by game time.

Blues
Isaia Toeava, Rene Ranger, Anthony Tuitavake, Michael Hobbs, Joe Rokocoko, Jimmy Gopperth, Taniela Moa, Jerome Kaino, Justin Collins, Chris Lowrey, Ali Williams, Kurtis Haiu, John Afoa, Keven Mealamu (captain), Tony Woodcock.

Reserves: Tom McCartney, Tevita Mailau/Charlie Faumuina, Anthony Boric/Jay Williams, Onosa'i Auva'a, Chris Smylie, Jamie Helleur, Paul Williams/Winston Stanley.

- NZPA