KEY POINTS:
North Harbour have lost one All Black but gained another for tonight's national championship clash with Wellington at North Harbour Stadium.
Anthony Tuitavake returns at centre, while Rudi Wulf has dropped out with a knee injury that will also keep him out of the All Blacks' trip to
South Africa.
Lock Bernie Upton is also out of the side, sidelined for four to six weeks with a broken jaw suffered in his debut for the province in the 20-13 defeat by Taranaki on Friday night.
Wellington have been boosted by the return of captain and halfback Piri Weepu. Lock Api Naikatini also replaces Ross Filipo, who is nursing a calf strain.
Weepu is joined in the starting XV by his Wainuiomata club teammate Tu Umaga-Marshall, who replaces Brendan Watt on the right wing. A nephew of Tana Umaga, Umaga-Marshall is a former NBL basketballer, having played for the Waikato Titans and Nelson Giants.
Prop Tim Fairbrother and midfielder Tane Tu'ipulotu come into the side on the bench having recovered from minor injuries.
Harbour coach Wayne Pivac is wary of the attacking threats posed by a Lions side that firmed as $2.75 title favourites after they recorded a comfortable bonus-point win over Hawkes Bay in what was otherwise an opening round of shock defeats for the bigger unions.
The presence of Tuitavake, the team's most capped player, will at least give a Harbour team that struggled to create opportunities against Taranaki a new attacking dimension of their own.
"Anybody with that experience coming back is welcomed with open arms," Pivac said.
"He is also a local boy so he is held in high regard by our players."
Tuitavake has been used predominantly on the wing by the All Blacks but Pivac said there had been no requests to use him there for Harbour.
"Whenever any of the All Blacks come back I ask [the All Blacks coaches] if they have a preference. They said no, as long as he gets some game time they are happy."
Pivac said Tuitavake had played in a pre-season match and trained with the team all week so would have no problem slotting back in.
North Harbour Stadium, 7.05 tonight
NORTH HARBOUR
George Pisi
V Waqaseduadua
Anthony Tuitavake
Mike Harris
Nafi Tuitavake
J Gopperth (c)
Chris Smylie
Viliame Maafu
Robbie Colhoun
Tom Chamberlain
Martin Purdy
Chris Smith
Sam Biddles
James Hinchco
James Afoa
WELLINGTON
Cory Jane
T. Marshall
Tamati Ellison
Michael Hobbs
Hosea Gear
Daniel Kirkpatrick
Piri Weepu (c)
Thomas Waldrom
Serge Lilo
Chris Masoe
Api Naikatini
J. Thrush (vc)
John Schwalger
Dane Coles
Jacob Ellison
North Harbour: James Parsons, Michael Reid, Richard Mayhew, Malakai Ravulo, Matt France, Josh York, Hayden Abercrombie.
Wellington: Ged Robinson, Tim Fairbrother, Chris Middleton, Victor Vito, Alby Mathewson, Tane Tu'ipulotu, B Popoali'i.