Some of the more seasoned campaigners have returned to the Auckland squad for Sunday’s reprisal of the Battle of the Bridge in Albany.

Malakai Fekitoa moves back into the midfield, but this time in the No 12 jersey, alongside George Moala. Dan Bowden, Jono Hickey and Blake Gibson all return to the team in jerseys 11-8, while Greg Pleasants-Tate is back at hooker after missing the midweek Waikato game.

Openside flanker Sione Havili wins his first start after a tryscoring debut in the 35-27 defeat to Waikato.

Loosehead prop Sam Prattley is bracketed with Isi Tu’ungafasi, who was a late call-up for the Waikato game. Should Prattley not be fit, Ponsonby prop Marco Fepuleai could make his provincial debut off the pine.

Loose forward Taleni Seu makes a welcome return to the Auckland colours after a long injury layoff and will wear jersey No 20.

“We are still a few short. Scraf (Scott Scrafton) is having his shoulder operation today and there are still some others out, but on the flip side, it gives other guys opportunities. It’s just the way the comp is. You just have to deal with it,” says coach Nick White.

“We’ll give Sam until tomorrow. His neck was a bit stiff and sore, but it’s looking positive.”

While the Auckland boys are nursing bruised bodies as they contemplate their third game in nine days, there will no shortage of motivation.

“This is a big game and in its own right, Auckland v North Harbour. We’ve put a bit of pressure on ourselves, but we need to use that pressure in a positive way, and not let it cramp us down, to get a good performance. We played some good footy against Waikato but we helped create some of their tries. We can’t just gift points away so easily,” White says.

The pack, in particular, has laid the foundation with set-piece solidity, but the phase attack has yet to fully gel.

“Sometimes it’s trying too hard. We just have to build phases and stay calm. If we can hold onto the ball, we give ourselves an opportunity to score,” adds White.

There are two trophies up for grabs: the Battle of the Bridge silverware, which is the Brian Purdy Memorial Trophy, and the Newstalk ZB Trans-Harbour Trophy.

The ledger between the two union stands at 30 wins for Auckland, six for North Harbour and one draw. Auckland won the last official clash between the Blues partners, 32-7 at Eden Park in 2014. But this is the first year North Harbour has played in the Premiership, so there should be more regular contact between the neighbours.

The referee is New Zealand’s No 1 whistler Glen Jackson. - Campbell Burnes

Auckland match-day 23 for North Harbour

4.35pm, Sunday September 3, QBE Stadium, Albany:

15 Pryor Collier (Ponsonby, 10 Auckland caps)           

14 Vince Aso (Ponsonby, 31)

13 George Moala (Grammar TEC, 48)                        

12 Malakai Fekitoa (Pakuranga, 25)

11 Caleb Clarke (Suburbs, 2)

10 Daniel Bowden (Ponsonby, 9)

9 Jono Hickey (Grammar TEC, 25)                             

8 Blake Gibson (Ponsonby, 14)

7 Sione Havili (College Rifles, 1)

6 Samuel Slade (Ponsonby, 3)

5 Ben Nee-Nee (Pakuranga, 8)

4 Patrick Tuipulotu (Ponsonby, 17, c)              

3 Marcel Renata (University, 14)                                 

2 Greg Pleasants-Tate (Ponsonby, 18)

1 Sam Prattley (Pakuranga, 37)/Isi Tu’ungafasi (Suburbs, 14)

Reserves:

16 Kurt Eklund (University, 25)

17 Emersen Tamura-Paki (College Rifles, 2)

18 Isi Tu’ungafasi (Suburbs, 14)/Marco Fepuleai (Ponsonby, 0) +

19 Sam Ulufonua (Ponsonby, 1)

20 Taleni Seu (Grammar TEC, 15)                              

21 Lisati Milo-Harris (Grammar TEC, 2)         

22 TJ Faiane (Pakuranga, 10)

23 Otumaka Mausia (College Rifles, 2)

+Potential Auckland debut

Injured/unavailable: Tom McHugh (season), Jamason Fa’anana-Shultz (season), Scott Scrafton (season), Leon Fukofuka, Dalton Papali’i, Michael Fatialofa, Melani Nanai, Sinclair Dominikovich-Murray