Tradition dictates Waikato selections

By CHRIS RATTUE

* Waikato v Southland

Waikato rugby's most faithful servant has kept faith with tradition in naming his first NPC side, to take on Southland in Hamilton tomorrow.

Ian Foster played a record 148 games for Waikato over 14 seasons. If anyone knows the Waikato tradition, it is Foster, who has taken over as head coach after being Kiwi Searancke's assistant.

In surprise selections for tomorrow's opening-round match, Isaac Boss will start at halfback ahead of Rhys Duggan, while Tony Philp will be at tighthead prop ahead of Deacon Manu, who has been rated the best Waikato/Chiefs frontrower by some margin in recent years.

Foster said last night that impending departures would not affect his selections this year. Bruce Reihana has announced that he will play in England after this season, and there are strong suggestions that Deacon Manu will head to Auckland and captain Deon Muir to Japan.

Foster said the fact that Boss and Philp will be playing in their 18th and blazer game for Waikato tomorrow had influenced his decision to start them.

"I'm a traditionalist. I believe that you should start the match when it is your blazer game," said Foster, who finished his Waikato career only in 1998. "It's not always possible of course. But in this case it was."

This is a Waikato line-up full of surprises.

The bench also includes All Blacks Royce Willis and Marty Holah, and recent All Blacks first five-eighths David Hill.

With Holah and Willis just returning to the fold, it was decided not to start them. Hill has been recovering from a groin injury and has had just two recent 20-minute spells for his club and Waikato.

Hill's place has gone to Derek Maisey, the 25-year-old pivot from the Morrinsville Sports club whose father, Jim, played a handful of games for Waikato as a prop from 1969 to 1975.

Maisey was Andrew Mehrtens' understudy at Canterbury in 2000.

Tomorrow's match will mark the Waikato NPC debut for Chiefs fullback Loki Crichton, who transferred from relegated Counties Manukau.

Long-time fullback Todd Miller was not available because the match is on a Sunday.

Super 12 flanker Jonno Gibbes was unavailable because of a groin injury, and prop David Briggs is also making his way back from injury.

Recent All Blacks No 8 Paul Miller will make his return for Southland after being released on loan by Otago.

Otago believe they have the country's two best No 8s in Taine Randell and Miller, and said they did not want to deny game time to either one.

Miller will be a key component in an unheralded Southland line-up under new coach Phil Young.

Meanwhile, Foster said the Waikato side were looking forward to stamping their mark at their new home of Waikato Stadium.

Foster said: "It's very exciting for us to get out there. And like all the NPC teams, after a lot of preparation it's great to be able to get to the first match and test where we are at."