Waikato's familiar faces ruled out of Auckland clash

1.00pm

Both All Blacks and players on the comeback from injury are expected to start reappearing in the Waikato NPC rugby squad over the next few weeks, but there are no new returns at this stage for Saturday afternoon's match against Auckland.

By yesterday 10,000 tickets had already been sold for the match at Waikato stadium.

Even if not all the injured players make it back before the end of the season, coach John Mitchell has huge faith in the young players who have been taking their places.

And Mitchell believes the involvement of young fringe players in NPC training runs will also contribute to a developing depth of talent in the province.

Prop Deacon Manu returned to the action last weekend and now rates himself fully recovered from a major knee injury, while wing Siteveni Sivivatu made his Waikato debut and hooker Scott Linklater also returned via the bench in the same match against Bay of Plenty.

Mitchell said hooker Tom Willis and midfield back Derek Maisey would return to aspects of team training next week.

Willis transferred from Otago at the end of the last year and has yet to play for Waikato after injuring his back and requiring surgery during the Super 12 for the Chiefs, while Maisey broke his leg and dislocated his ankle, also in the Super 12.

All Black halfback Byron Kelleher is back fully available next week and fellow internationals Marty Holah and Jono Gibbes the following week.

Others still on the injured list include Keith Robinson, Michael Collins, Mark Ranby, Regan King and Roger Randle.

A decision was made on Tuesday for Robinson to have keyhole surgery on his knee to tidy up cartilage damage. It will remove him from virtually the entire NPC.

Collins also has a calf problem that has so far kept him out of the NPC, Mitchell saying his recovery appeared to have stalled at about 70 per cent but like Manu he could come right at any time.

Ranby was seeing a specialist this week having done a three-week rehabilitation programme but concerned about the looseness still in his shoulder joint after a dislocation in pre-season play.

King was back running after major pelvic surgery and doing minor individual skill work on a graduated rehabilitation programme but Mitchell said he was not confident of his return this season. Randle is also in doubt for a return during the NPC from a calf injury that followed a 14-month layoff following Achilles tendon reconstruction.

"But all along we've had to deal with these injuries and put faith in these young guys," Mitchell said.

- NZPA

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