The beleaguered Blues welcome back All Blacks reinforcements for their clash against the Reds in Auckland on Friday night.
Fresh off playing key roles in a series sweep over France, Rieko Ioane and Ofa Tuungafasi will start against Queensland, for Jerome Kaino's last Super Rugby match at Eden Park.
Kaino, who made his Super debut against the Reds in 2004, will chalk up his 137th appearance for the franchise, joining Tony Woodcock as the joint second-most capped Blues player, behind Keven Mealamu.
Tuungafasi returns to bolster the Blues scrum, alongside Alex Hodgman and James Parsons, with Kaino forming a powerful back three with Akira Ioane and Blake Gibson, who makes his first appearance after off-season shoulder surgery.
Sonny Bill Williams' shoulder injury against France means Ioane moves back to the Blues midfield alongside Michael Collins, who has filled this role in the past, before finding a home at fullback when he came to the Blues.
It leaves an exciting back three, with New Zealand Under-20s winger Caleb Clark, Melani Nanai and Matt Duffie.
Captain Augustine Pulu will need to come through a fitness test to take his place at halfback and is bracketed with Sam Nock, inside Stephen Perofeta.
"This is an important occasion for our club and for this team," said coach Tana Umaga.
"Jerome has been a magnificent contributor to the Blues and the All Blacks, both on and off the field, and much of that success has been on Eden Park,"
"There is no better way for our team to honour Jerome than to produce a performance of real quality, consistency and direction.
"Our season to date has been disappointing, but we see these final three games as important for us to transfer that hard work that we see on the training field into performance on it."
Blues: 15-Matt Duffie, 14-Melani Nanai, 13-Michael Collins, 12-Rieko Ioane, 11-Caleb Clarke, 10-Stephen Perofeta, 9-Augustine Pulu © or Sam Nock, 8-Akira Ioane, 7-Blake Gibson, 6-Jerome Kaino, 5-Matiaha Martin, 4-Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 3-Ofa Tuungafasi, 2-James Parsons, 1-Alex Hodgman
Reserves: 16-Matt Moulds/Leni Apisai, 17-Pauliasi Manu, 18-Sione Mafileo, 19-Jacob Pierce, 20-Murphy Taramai, 21-Jonathan Ruru, 22-Bryn Gatland, 23-TJ Faiane/Tumua Manu
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