Beauden Barrett set for Super Rugby return

Beauden Barrett of the Hurricanes attempts to bust the Highlanders defence. Photo / Getty Images

The Hurricanes should have the services of first-five Beauden Barrett for their pivotal Super Rugby clash with the Highlanders in Napier on Friday.

A Hurricanes spokesperson confirmed today that the All Black had come through training well and had recovered sufficiently from a knee injury that has kept him on the sideline for a month.

In his absence, youngster Otere Black and utility James Marshall have split the No 10 duties and while they're fine players in their own right, they don't have the game management of Barrett.

The Highlanders, who have indicated they will rest All Blacks Ben Smith, Aaron Smith and Malakai Fekitoa this week, could still claim New Zealand conference honours but would likely need a bonus point win over the Hurricanes to keep that dream alive.

Given Barrett has been passed fit, it seems likely that he will start at McLean Park this week as the Hurricanes look to secure home advantage for the playoffs.

The impending return of Barrett is good news for Black who will get the opportunity to join the New Zealand under-20s at the junior world championship event in Italy and he was expected to fly to Europe tomorrow.

The Hurricanes will name their team to meet the Highlanders tomorrow and coach Chris Boyd was weighing up whether to give second-five Ma'a Nonu his final mandatory rest of the season or save it for the June 13 clash with the Chiefs in New Plymouth.

"We are chasing a couple of ladder points to try and get a home semifinal and I guess that has a bearing, potentially, on it," Boyd said.

The Hurricanes have won 12 from 14 this season and will be keen to bounce back from a disappointing 35-18 loss to the Crusaders last week.

"We certainly weren't happy with the way we played. Maybe we got complacent, I'm not sure of the reason," Boyd said.

"But all we know is they played one of their better games of the season and we were poor. So we need to put that behind us and move on."

The Hurricanes have a largely fit squad to pick from, although bench hooker Motu Matu'u has been ruled out for at least a month with a knee injury, while Matt Proctor has a concussion and won't be available this week.

The Highlanders will be riding a wave of confidence after they disposed of the Chiefs, 36-9, in Invercargill last Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs have called in Taranaki flanker Berny Hall to cover their ailing loose forward stocks.

Hall, 26, will act as a replacement for Sean Polwart who has been out with concussion but is expected to make a full recovery.