NSW Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie lauded David Lyons as the ultimate team man after the Wallaby backrower withdrew from contention for Saturday night's Super 14 final.

Putting team needs ahead of personal ambition, Lyons ruled himself out with a hamstring injury after being unable to fully stretch out during a fitness test.

"He put his hand up and said 'no I'm not right'. He is a good enough team man to know he is not going to give us 100 per cent," McKenzie said.

"The temptation for many players to play would have been huge, but David's always been about the team and although this is extremely disappointing for him, he didn't want to play if he wasn't 100 per cent.

"We were confident he would be thereabouts. He is just not good enough. It will be disappointing for him. He has been such a stalwart for us."

Lyons this season joined former captains Chris Whitaker and Matt Burke as the only players to have made 100 appearances for NSW and expressed his bitter disappointment at having to miss last week's semi-final against the Sharks when 2008 skipper and great mate Phil Waugh notched his 100th game for the Tahs.

"He deserved to be playing the final," Waugh said on Thursday. "It is very disappointing that he misses out.

"But, as Ewen said, he has offered so much for NSW for so long. The fortunate thing is that he is over here with the squad and he will experience the final on Saturday."

With Lyons out, Beau Robinson retains his place on the bench as the reserve loose forward.

"Beau has been with us near on two years now. It does change things with how we cover positions and things like that, but the ethic and what we are trying to do, it won't change that," McKenzie said.

Tatafu Polota-Nau has recovered from a hand injury and is the only change to the NSW starting line-up which accounted for the Sharks 28-13 in last Saturday's semi-final in Sydney.

Polota-Nau's inclusion has relegated fellow Test hooker Adam Freier to the bench, with Al Manning losing his place in the 22-man final squad.

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