Super Rugby: Noakes not intending to roll over

Bay of Plenty and Blues first-five Chris Noakes is back playing after 10 months out injured. Photo / APN

Chris Noakes could not have picked a bigger stage to make his comeback from a bad neck injury than tonight's epic clash in Sydney.

The classy Bay of Plenty first-five will make his return after 10 months out of the game in the Blues pre-season clash with the Waratahs in front of 30,000 spectators at Allianz Stadium from 9.30pm.

Noakes is well aware most of the crowd wants to see how former West Tigers league legend Benji Marshall goes in his second start in the Blues No 10 jersey.

But Noakes has his own clear designs on who should be the man Sir John Kirwan gives the jersey to before the first competition game against the Highlanders on February 22.

"Absolutely, absolutely I want it. That is the position I held last year and I have every intention of having it again this year," Noakes said.

"The next couple of games in terms of pre-season will be important for the both of us. I certainly intend to put my hand up so that I am starting against the Highlanders as opposed to anyone else."

Noakes has been back in full contact for the last week and says his neck is feeling good.

Crucially, his mindset is positive as well.

"I am not holding off anything with it," he said. "Getting back into contact is the hardest thing after such a long time out but I was lucky in a sense that I didn't actually do it on the rugby field.

"When I go in to make a tackle, I am not having memories or flashbacks and hesitation from the incident because it was a gym injury."

Kirwan has the utmost faith in Noakes, who has been allowed to ease back into training.

"Noakesy's been great but we've been taking it gently with him," Kirwan said. "He doesn't need to prove anything to us, we just need to make sure he's well first. He'll get out in the second half and he needs to get into contact and just play footy which he's ready to do."

The Blues play the Chiefs at Rotorua International Stadium next Friday.