All Black midfielder George Moala returns from injury to play his first Mitre 10 Cup match of the season against Counties-Manukau on Sunday.

Coach Nick White has named the 2015 New Zealand Rugby ITM Cup Player of the Year at centre, with Rieko Ioane moving out to the wing. All Blacks Patrick Tuipulotu and Ofa Tu’ungafasi are on the bench.

“It's great to have George back this weekend. He hasn’t played a lot of footy recently but as far as we are concerned it’s great to have him back.

"We’ll be looking to get him involved early in the game. He will have a bit of a target on his back so we’ll need the boys around him to support him," said White.

Elsewhere Tom McHugh and Marcel Renata reclaim their starting positions in the front row, while Taleni Seu returns from injury to start in the number 6 jersey. Latiume Fosita gets his first start of the season at fullback, while Liam Steel is set to debut off the bench.

Sam Prattley, Steven Luatua, Melani Nanai and Lolagi Visinia remain sidelined with injury.

Auckland host Counties-Manukau on Sunday, kick off 2.35pm. The Auckland Colts will play Northland B in the curtain raiser.

The Auckland team is
1.    Tom McHugh (Grammar TEC)
2.    Greg Pleasants-Tate (Ponsonby)
3.    Marcel Renata (University)
4.    Michael Fatialofa (Ponsonby)
5.    Scott Scrafton (Grammar TEC)
6.    Taleni Seu (Grammar TEC)
7.    Blake Gibson (Ponsonby)
8.    Akira Ioane (Ponsonby)
9.    Leon Fukofuka (Marist)
10.    Simon Hickey (Grammar TEC)
11.    Rieko Ioane (Ponsonby)
12.    Vince Aso (Ponsonby)
13.    George Moala (Grammar TEC)
14.    Pryor Collier (Ponsonby)
15.    Latiume Fosita (Papatoetoe)

16.    Kurt Eklund (University)
17.    Ofa Tu’ungafasi (Grammar TEC)
18.    James Lay (Pakuranga)
19.    Patrick Tuipulotu (Ponsonby)
20.    Liaki Moli (Manukau Rovers)
21.    Jono Hickey (Grammar TEC)
22.    Liam Steel (University)
23.    Tyrone Elkington-McDonald (university)