Highlanders: 1. Ethan de Groot 2. Jack Taylor 3. Saula Ma’u 4. Fabian Holland 5. Mitch Dunshea 6. TK Howden 7. Sean Withy 8. Nikora Broughton 9. Nathan Hastie 10. Taine Robinson 11. Jona Nareki 12. Timoci Tavatavanawai 13. Tanielu Tele’a 14. Caleb Tangitau 15. Sam Gilbert.
Bench: 16. Soane Vikena 17. Josh Bartlett 18. Sefo Kautai 19. Will Stodart 20. Veveni Lasaqa 21. James Arscott 22. Ajay Faleafaga 23. Jake Te Hiwi.
Unavailable: Oliver Haig (foot), Jonah Lowe (ACL), Cameron Millar (concussion), Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (neck), Finn Hurley (quad), Folau Fakatava (hamstring), Hugh Renton (groin).
Hurricanes team to face Highlanders
All Blacks duo Tyrel Lomax and Asafo Aumua are set for their first minutes of the Super Rugby Pacific season.
Both will make their returns from injury to join the bench against the Highlanders in Dunedin as the Hurricanes look to bounce back from a loss to Moana Pasifika last weekend.
Lock Zach Gallagher will also return from injury for his first minutes in a Hurricanes jersey, joining Caleb Delany in one of four changes to the starting side.
Xavier Numia (loosehead prop), Du’Plessis Kirifi (openside flanker) and Cam Roigard (halfback) all return to the starting XV, with Peter Lakai shifting to No 8.
Isaia Walker-Leawere and Brayden Iose move to the bench this week, with Jordi Viljoen and Fatafehi Fineanganofo also joining the impact squad.
Hurricanes: 1. Xavier Numia 2. Jacob Devery 3. Tevita Mafielo 4. Caleb Delany 5. Zach Gallagher 6. Brad Shields (cc) 7. Du’Plessis Kirifi (cc) 8. Peter Lakai 9. Cam Roigard 10. Harry Godfrey 11. Kini Naholo 12. Peter Umaga-Jensen 13. Bailyn Sullivan 14. Ngatungane Punivai 15. Ruben Love.
Bench: 16. Asafo Aumua 17. Pouri Rakete-Stones 18. Tyrel Lomax 19. Isaia Walker-Leawere 20. Brayden Iose 21. Jordi Viljoen 22. Riley Hohepa 23. Fatafehi Fineanganofo.
Unavailable: Siale Lauaki (ribs), Daniel Sinkinson (hamstring), Brett Cameron (knee – season), Devan Flanders (ankle), Tjay Clarke (shoulder), Riley Higgins (hand), Billy Proctor (Achilles).
Crusaders team to face the Reds
Tom Christie will make his first start of the season as the Crusaders host the Reds, donning the No 7 jersey with Ethan Blackadder moving to the bench.
It’s one of four changes to Rob Penney’s starting line-up, with Corey Kellow (blindside flanker), Macca Springer (left wing) and Braydon Ennor (centre) all joining the run-on side.
Seb Calder returns from injury to provide back-up minutes at prop in the only other change to the bench.
Crusaders: 1. Tamaiti Williams, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Fletcher Newell, 4. Scott Barrett, 5. Antonio Shalfoon, 6. Corey Kellow, 7. Tom Christie, 8. Christian Lio-Willie, 9. Kyle Preston, 10. Taha Kemara, 11. Macca Springer, 12. David Havili (c), 13. Braydon Ennor, 14. Sevu Reece, 15. Will Jordan.
Bench: 16. Ioane Moananu, 17. George Bower, 18. Seb Calder, 19. Tahlor Cahill, 20. Ethan Blackadder, 21. Mitchell Drummond, 22. James O’Connor, 23. Levi Aumua.
Unavailable: George Bell (foot – season), Dom Gardiner (hamstring), Aki Tuivailala (finger), Johnny McNicholl (hamstring), Finlay Brewis (shoulder – season), Kershawl Sykes-Martin (knee), Noah Hotham (ankle), Cullen Grace (hamstring), Dallas McLeod (foot).
Chiefs team to face Blues
All Blacks Damian McKenzie and Luke Jacobson are back for the Chiefs in this weekend’s clash with the Blues, taking their places in the starting line-up at first five-eighths and No 8 respectively.
It will be McKenzie’s first start in the No 10 jersey this season, with Shaun Stevenson getting the start at fullback. Brodie McAlister (hooker), Naitoa Ah Kuoi (lock), Simon Parker (blindside flanker), Jahrome Brown (openside flanker) and Xavier Roe (halfback) all join the starting XV.
Samisoni Taukei’aho, Jimmy Tupou, Samipeni Finau, Cortez Ratima, Josh Jacomb and Daniel Rona all shift back to the bench.
Chiefs: 1. Ollie Norris 2. Brodie McAlister 3. George Dyer 4. Naitoa Ah Kuoi 5. Tupou Vaa’i (c) 6. Simon Parker 7. Jahrome Brown 8. Luke Jacobson (c) 9. Xavier Roe 10. Damian McKenzie 11. Leroy Carter 12. Quinn Tupaea 13. Anton Lienert-Brown 14. Emoni Narawa 15. Shaun Stevenson.
Bench: 16. Samisoni Taukei’aho 17. Aidan Ross 18. Sione Ahio 19. Jimmy Tupou 20. Samipeni Finau 21. Cortez Ratima 22. Josh Jacomb 23. Daniel Rona.
Unavailable: Wallace Sititi (knee – season), Rameka Poihipi (knee - season), Etene Nanai-Seturo (hamstring), Liam Coombes-Fabling (knee), Fiti Sa (shoulder), Kaleb Trask (hamstring), Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (shoulder), Josh Lord (knee).
Blues team to face Chiefs
The Blues have rung the changes for their clash with the Chiefs in Hamilton, with eight new faces in their starting XV.
A rejigged tight five sees props Jordan Lay and Ofa Tu’ungafasi, hooker Kurt Eklund and lock Laghlan McWhannell start, while Dalton Papali’i returns at openside flanker which moves Anton Segner to No 8 and Cameron Suafoa to the bench.
Sam Nock and Harry Plummer start at halfback and first five-eighths, while Xavi Taele makes his debut at second-five, with Stephen Perofeta set to make his return from the bench.
Ricky Riccitelli (hooker) and Beauden Barrett (first five-eighths) join the injury list.
Blues: 1. Jordan Lay 2. Kurt Eklund 3. Ofa Tu’ungafasi 4. Patrick Tuipulotu (c) 5. Laghlan McWhannell 6. Cam Christie 7. Dalton Papali’i 8. Anton Segner 9. Sam Nock 10. Harry Plummer 11. Caleb Clarke 12. Xavi Taele 13. Rieko Ioane 14. Mark Tele’a 15. Corey Evans.
Bench: 16. Nathaniel Pole 17. Joshua Fusitu’a 18. Angus Ta’avao 19. Josh Beehre 20. Cameron Suafoa 21. Finlay Christie 22. Stephen Perofeta 23. AJ Lam.
Unavailable: PJ Sheck (shoulder), Zarn Sullivan (foot), Ben Ake (shoulder), Hoskins Sotutu (suspended), Reon Paul (shoulder), Taufa Funaki (shoulder), Adrian Choat (knee), James Mullan (head injury), Sam Darry (shoulder - season), Beauden Barrett (hand), Ricky Riccitelli (chest).
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