All the action between the Blues and Waratahs.
The Blues will flex their depth against the winless Waratahs at Eden Park on Saturday afternoon, offering no respite for the struggling Sydney side as Leon MacDonald's men seek successive bonus point victories to open their transtasman campaign.
Few other New Zealand teams have the luxury of replacing All Blacks with All Blacks but that's exactly what the Blues will do this week, while welcoming back two headline figures and unleashing talented Taranaki teenager Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens for his anticipated debut.
The most intriguing change comes with Hoskins Sotutu, after his impressive performance behind a dominant scrum last week, being rested to hand Akira Ioane a start in his favoured No 8 role. Sotutu and Ioane claimed two tries each in the Blues' 50-3 rout over the Rebels in Melbourne.
All Blacks prop Nepo Laulala is also sidelined due to an ankle injury, paving the way for Ofa Tuungafasi to start at tighthead prop and Alex Hodgman to make his return from suspension via the bench.
In the only other change to the starting forward pack Blake Gibson replaces Adrian Choat at openside flanker.
In a major boost, Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu is back from his near two-month absence after injuring his neck/shoulder in Hamilton on March 27.
Tuipulotu's return will come off the bench, alongside All Blacks loose forward Dalton Papalii, who has recovered from his medial ligament injury, and explosive outside back Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens.
The stacked Blues bench leaves the Waratahs, on the back of nine straight losses this season, contemplating no little let up from the opening to closing whistle.
Blues assistant coach Daniel Halangahu attributed the three tweaks to the starting forward pack to minor injury concerns.
"Hoskins has had a huge load but he's also been carrying a little niggle with his foot/ankle," Halangahu said. "He's got a turf toe issue that he's been nursing. With having Dalton back it allows us to give Akira an opportunity. He's been chomping at the bit to get a bit more time at eight.
"Paddy and Dalton are both really eager to get into it this weekend."
Hagley Oval has a new head groundsman ahead of the first test of the summer.