Big gun: Hosea Gear starts for Wellington
Northland travel to Wellington in the ITM Cup on Wednesday seeking their first win at Westpac Stadium since 2000.
Coming off the back of consecutive losses, Wellington are sitting bottom of the Premiership standings and need to turn their season around if they are to avoid relegation.
They face a Northland side brimming with confidence after their victory over Premiership leaders Bay of Plenty.
The Lions have blown hot and cold this season. An upset win over Canterbury was followed by two shockers as they conceded over 70 points in two games against Bay of Plenty and Hawke's Bay.
The hosts have called in some big guns for the first of three home matches in eight days (the face Manawatu on Saturday, then Southland next Thursday) as current All Blacks Cory Jane and Hosea Gear have been sent to get some game-time alongside France-bound prop Neemia Tialata, who is also in the starting XV.
Speedster Charlie Ngatai also makes his first appearance of the season off the bench after recovering from a broken leg.
Although seven points off the pace in the second tier, Northland have a game in hand and are still in the hunt for promotion.
Skipper Jared Payne returns in midfield for the Cambridge Blues as Northland leave their winning side mostly unchanged.
The last time these teams met in August last year, Wellington were narrow 31-28 winners.
The teams:
Wellington: 15 Cory Jane, 14 Alipate Leiua, 13 Shaun Treeby, 12 Michael Hobbs, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Frae Wilson, 8 Faifili Levave, 7 Dean Brunsdon, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Mark Reddish, 4 Jeremy Thrush (capt), 3 Neemia Tialata, 2 Motu Matu'u, 1 Reg Goodes.
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Jacob Ellison, 18 Scott Fuglistaller, 19 Victor Vito, 20 TJ Perenara, 21 Michael Lealava'a, 22 Charlie Ngatai, 23 Arden David-Perrot
Northland: 15 Lachie Munro 14 Simon Munro, 13 Jared Payne (capt), 12 Aaron Bancroft, 11 Bryce Heem, 10 Jack McPhee, 9 Rhyan Caine, 8 Cameron Goodhue, 7 Cameron Eyre, 6 Dan Faleafa, 5 Mark Burman, 4 Bryce Williams, 3 Scott Vessey, 2 Ross Wright, 1 Justin Davies.
Replacements: 16 Tevita Vaipulu, 17 Aterea Davis, 18 Marty Veale, 19 Danny Mason, 20 Wayne Ngaluafe, 21 Ash Moeke, 22 Derek Carpenter, 23 Jamie Corsi
Date: Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Venue: Wednesday, August 10
Kick-off: 19.35
Referee: Grant Stuart
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