The 22-year-old, as widely predicted, will start at No10 for John Kirwan's team against a Hurricanes team with big hopes of making the play-offs for the first time since 2009.
With only three matches to come due to their last-round bye, the Hurricanes will be desperate for competition points at Eden Park tomorrow night after a standout performance against the Chiefs. The Blues, on the other hand, have little to play for in terms of the competition, but they have played well at their headquarters this season and with the attacking West at the helm, could well throw a spanner in Mark Hammett's works.
West is seen by Kirwan as a player on the rise. Simon Hickey, whom West has replaced, is also seen as someone with a big future at the Blues, but the 20-year-old hasn't progressed quite as the franchise would have liked after a promising start.
He is reliable and a good goalkicker, but hasn't developed his running game.
West's goalkicking after replacing Hickey in the defeat to the Sharks at Albany proved to Kirwan that he deserved his first start after joining the squad as a replacement for the injured Baden Kerr.
"What we've been impressed with is his calmness under fire," said Kirwan of 22-year-old West.
"He's come in and been thrown in the deep end and said 'bring it on' so he deserves his start. We really think he could be an influential player in the future of this franchise like Simon so we've got two very good young men in our squad and it's no secret that we are looking for someone to step into that role."
West will ease the pressure on Ma'a Nonu as the sole provider of momentum among the backline and his match-up against Beauden Barrett will be intriguing.
"He's probably the No1 10 going around New Zealand at the moment so it will be good to come up against him and test myself against the best," West said.
His previous match at Eden Park was during the rout of the Reds at the start of the month, a 19-minute performance notable for his composure and a try from 50m out.
"I managed to be in the right place at the right time and get a cheeky dot," he said. "That was an awesome game to be a part of. We really went well that day and hopefully we can carry on that form at Eden Park."
Left wing Tevita Li has been dropped due to a breach of team protocol. George Moala starts in his place.
Blues team to play the Hurricanes at Eden Park tomorrow, kick-off 7.35pm is: Lolagi Visinia, Frank Halai, Pita Ahki, Ma'a Nonu, George Moala, Ihaia West, Bryn Hall, Jerome Kaino, Luke Braid (c), Peter Saili, Tom Donnelly, Patrick Tuipulotu, Charlie Faumuina, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock. Reserves: James Parsons, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Angus Ta'avao, Hayden Triggs, Steven Luatua, Piri Weepu, Simon Hickey, Albert Nikoro.
Hurricanes: Matt Proctor, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith (c), Alapati Leiua, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Victor Vito, Jack Lam, Faifili Levave, James Broadhurst, Jeremy Thrush, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Dane Coles, Reggie Goodes. Reserves: Motu Matu'u, Chris Eves, Brendon Edmonds, Brad Shields, Ardie Savea, Chris Smylie, Tim Bateman, James Marshall.
