Sam Cane will make his run-on Steamers debut tonight sandwiched between two blokes who know a thing or two about being teenaged prodigies.

The 18-year-old starts at openside against Manawatu at Baypark, pushing Tanerau Latimer over to blindside.

All Black Latimer was 17 when he made the New Zealand sevens team and 19 when he first played for the Steamers, while No8 Colin Bourke was 18 when he first turned out for Hawke's Bay and 19 when the Steamers won the Ranfurly Shield.

"I know what he's going through, although he's a bit bigger than I was at that age ... I might have been pushing 80kg if I was lucky," Bourke recalls.

"When I came out of school, weights weren't a big thing for me and I realised I was playing alongside men when I saw some of the tin they were throwing around in the gym. But Sam's been doing the business in the gym and around the training field as well so the boys have got total faith in him - he's not your average 18-year-old, is he?"

Injuries to Luke Braid (shoulder) and Solomon King (calf) have accelerated Cane's elevation, with the Reporoa-raised Cane shouldering the No7 jersey in just his fourth game for his province.

After less than an hour in total from his three previous appearances off the bench, he's just looking forward to burning off some excess energy.

"The physicality is about what I expected but I'm starting to feel my lack of game time," Cane said. "The lungs are burning a bit lately but I'm sure once I get out there and get that second wind, I'll be right. I'm stoked - I can't wait and I'm really looking forward to it."

Cane is so youthful that NZRU regulations prevent him from starting more than six times this season. He's the youngest Steamers player in more than a decade and even he's been surprised by the speed of his elevation.

"I remember thinking that I might come out of school, train hard for a couple of years and maybe get a crack when I was 19. "Everything's come probably a whole year earlier than I expected."

Tonight is also a big test for Cory Aporo, who will start at centre for the first time this season in his 43rd appearance for the Bay.

Reserve hooker Simon Chisholm will play his blazer game if he gets off the bench, six years after making his debut, while Bourke is lining up for the 75th time in blue and gold.

There are plenty of injury headaches for coach Sean Horan - Taniela Moa (knee), Lance MacDonald (ankle), Brett Mather (ankle), Luke Andrews (achilles) and Braid have all gone down in the last week.

King may be just a week away from returning to action,  while veteran John Moore's shoulder rehabilitation is almost over. With Chad Tuoro starting, the Steamers have no specialist halfback cover, relying on the strength of second-five Phil Burleigh's pass to get them through at a pinch.

Manawatu have their own injury worries, down to their third-choice captain Francis Bryant after injuries to Nick Crosswell and Grant Polson, while James Oliver is the third openside used this season. Tonight's match starts at 7.35pm.