Rugby: Sivivatu to start for Waikato

Sitiveni Sivivatu. Photo / Getty Images

Waikato has the luxury of being able to name two All Blacks and a sevens representative on the bench for Saturday's ITM Cup premiership final against Canterbury.

Waikato coach Chris Gibbes has named wing Sitiveni Sivivatu, who missed the final cut for the All Blacks' World Cup squad, in the reserves along with halfback Brendon Leonard and sevens' speedster Declan O'Donnell. Sivivatu and Leonard have played 58 tests between them.

Sivivatu is returning from a fractured eye socket picked up playing for the All Blacks but he's still a surprise omission from the starting side, especially as he's determined to leave Waikato on a high note before heading to France to play for Clermont Auvergne.

Henry Speight and Tim Mikkelson have been preferred on the wings, even though Mikkelson struggled with his hands against Auckland last weekend.

Another former All Black, Stephen Donald, also wants to go out a winner in his final game in New Zealand before he takes up a three-year contract with Bath.

Gibbes has made one change to the starting side that beat Auckland last weekend and secured a home final, with Sam Christie coming into second five-eighths to replace the injured Save Tokula (hamstring) and Jackson Willison moving out to centre. Jack Lam was unavailable because of a shoulder injury.

"This is the big one for us and what we have been working towards all season,'' Gibbes said. "We have done the work and prepared the best we can. It is time to play.''

Waikato team to play Canterbury in Saturday's ITM Cup premiership final in Hamilton (kickoff 7.35pm): Toby Smith, Marcel Cummings-Toone, Nathan White, Toby Lynn, Romana Graham, Liam Messam, Marty Holah, Alex Bradley, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Stephen Donald, Tim Mikkelson, Sam Christie, Jackson Willison, Henry Speight, Trent Renata. Reserves: Vance Elliott, Ben May, Matt Vant Leven, Zak Hohneck, Brendon Leonard, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Declan O'Donnell, Ted Tauroa.