• Tanielu Tele’a, Hoskins Sotutu, Caleb Clarke and Jacob Umaga to make first starts of the season
• Emphasis on defence this week after conceding late tries against Canterbury and Taranaki
• Adrian Choat and Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa in line to make their debuts from the bench

Auckland will take the field this week against Otago with a somewhat changed line-up from the one we have been so used to seeing throughout the campaign to date.

There are number of changes that are injury enforced, namely the backline re-shuffle that sees Tanielu Tele’a, Caleb Clarke and Jacob Umaga make their first starts of the season at second-five, wing and fullback respectively.

It is an exciting challenge that lies ahead for the blue and white hoops against a young, vibrant Otago side full of attacking threat and enthusiasm from 1 to 23. It is a unique challenge perhaps to the one that Auckland have confronted in recent weeks with the physicality of Canterbury and Taranaki up-front offering a different team profile to the one that is likely to be presented by Otago come Friday night.

Alama Ieremia is well aware of the threat posed by the southerners as the home side look to make it seven on the bounce in 2018.

“They’ve got a lot of gamebreakers who are young and enthusiastic. They’ve got very skillful players in the backs as well as a number of senior players who lead them around the pitch well. They’ve also got a pretty mobile forward pack as well, so we’ve just got to make sure we do the work up front first and foremost.”

There’s also been an emphasis on defence this week as Auckland look to bring back the watertight edge they had in the opening weeks of the Mitre 10 Cup.

“From a coaching point of view, we’re working on defence and being connected and being aligned. I think the intent is there at the moment, but we just need to get the balance right. I think we’re growing our defence and it is really the character of the team and we’ve just got to tidy that up.”

Auckland team to play Otago: * denotes new cap

1. Sam Prattley - Captain (Pakuranga)
2. Mike Sosene-Feagai (Mt Wellington)
3. Marcel Renata (University)
4. Evan Olmstead (Suburbs)
5. Jack Whetton (Grammar TEC)
6. Hoskins Sotutu (Marist)
7. Dalton Papali’i (Pakuranga)
8. Akira Ioane (Ponsonby)
9. Jonathan Ruru (University)
10. Harry Plummer (Grammar TEC)
11. Salesi Rayasi (Marist)
12. Tanielu Tele’a (Marist)
13. Tumua Manu (College Rifles)
14. Caleb Clarke (Suburbs)
15. Jacob Umaga (Eden)
16. Robbie Abel (College Rifles)
17. Ezekiel Lindenmuth (Suburbs)
18. Marco Fepulea’i (Ponsonby)
19. Fa’atiga Lemalu (Papatoetoe)
20. Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa (Ponsonby)*
21. Adrian Choat (Waitemata)*
22. Leon Fukofuka (Marist)
23. Joe Ravouvou (College Rifles)

Unavailable due to injury: Blake Gibson (quad), Lyndon Dunshea (shoulder), Leif Schwencke (head), Melani Nanai (head), Jordan Trainor (shoulder), TJ Faiane (shoulder), Dan Kirkpatrick (neck), Michael Fatialofa (knee), Taleni Seu (back – season), Taniela Koroi (arm – season)