Blues coach Tana Umaga has named All Black Rieko Ioane at centre but has kept George Moala and Rene Ranger on the reserves bench for his team's opening Super Rugby match against the Rebels in Melbourne on Thursday night.
Ioane's brother Akira, Steven Luatua and Blake Gibson make up the loose forwards in a relatively inexperienced starting line-up which sees lock Jimmy Tupou handed the captaincy.
Former Chiefs halfback Augustine Pulu wins the No9 jersey, with Ihaia West starting at first-five. Former Otago player Michael Collins, who has impressed in pre-season, starts at fullback.
In selecting a relatively youthful team, Umaga's hand has been forced by injury to a large extent, with James Parsons, Billy Guyton, Declan O'Donnell, Stephen Perofeta and Sonny Bill Williams all recovering from injury, and All Blacks lock Patrick Tuipulotu and loose forward Jerome Kaino only just back with the squad.
The naming of the experienced midfielders Moala and Ranger on the bench is also injury-related, with the pair not yet fully up to speed following respective elbow and knee injuries.
