Official team lists and injury news for this week's round of Super Rugby Pacific.
Moana Pasifika v Blues postponed
Chiefs v Highlanders
4:30pm, Saturday, February 19
Wakatipu Rugby Club, Queenstown
Xavier Roe gets the starting nod over All Black and co-captain Brad Weber at halfback for the Chiefs in their season-opener.
Lock Laghlan McWhannell will make his Super Rugby debut, while former All Black first-five Josh Ioane and fullback Emoni Narawa will run out for the Chiefs for the first time, after previous stints with the Highlanders and Blues.
All Blacks hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho will likely come off the bench for his 50th game for the Chiefs.
Chiefs: 1-Ollie Norris, 2-Bradley Slater, 3-Sione Mafileo, 4-Laghlan McWhannell, 5-Brodie Retallick, 6- Luke Jacobson, 7-Sam Cane, 8-Pita Gus Sowakula, 9-Xavier Roe, 10-Josh Ioane, 11-Jonah Lowe, 12-Quinn Tupaea, 13-Alex Nankivell, 14-Shaun Stevenson, 15-Emoni Narawa
Reserves: 16-Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17-Atu Moli, 18-Angus Ta’avao, 19-Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20-Kaylum Boshier, 21-Brad Weber, 22-Bryn Gatland, 23-Chase Tiatia
Prop Jermain Ainsley and centre Fetuli Paea will make long-awaited debuts for the Highlanders, after missing last season with injuries. Former Sunwolves and Crusaders winger Josh Timu also makes his Higlanders debut, while Mosese Dawai logs his first Super Rugby game.
Flanker Shannon Frizell will play his 50th game for the southern side.
Highlanders: 1-Ethan de Groot, 2-Liam Coltman, 3-Jermaine Ainsley, 4-Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 5-Josh Dickson, 6-Shannon Frizell, 7-James Lentjes, 8-Gareth Evans, 9-Aaron Smith, 10-Mitch Hunt, 11-Josh TImu, 12-Scott Gregory, 13-Fetuli Paea, 14-Mosese Dawai, 15-Sam Gilbert
Reserves: 16-Andrew Makalio, 17-Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18-Josh Hohneck, 19-Bryn Evans, 20-Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, 21-Folau Fakatava, 22-Marty Banks, 23-Thomas Umaga-Jensen
Crusaders v Hurricanes
7pm, Saturday, February 19
Forsyth Barr Stadium
Argentinian international Pablo Matera will make his Crusaders debut at blindside flanker, after 52 games for the Jaguares previously. Utility back Simon Hickey will also make his debut for the southerners, after previous stints with the Blues and Hurricanes, while hooker Shilo Klein will likely come off the bench for his first Super Rugby appearance.
Crusaders: 1- Joe Moody, 2-Brodie McAlister, 3-Oli Jager, 4-Scott Barrett, 5-Sam Whitelock, 6-Pablo Matera, 7-Tom Christie, 8-Cullen Grace, 9-Bryn Hall, 10-Fergus Burke, 11-Leicester Fainga-anuku, 12-David Havili, 13-Braydon Ennor, 14-George Bridge, 15-Will Jordan
Reserves: 16-Shilo Klein, 17-George Bower, 18-Tamaiti Williams, 19-Quinten Strange, 20-Mitchell Dunshea, 21-Mitchell Drummond, 22-Simon Hickey, 23-Sevu Reece
Lock Justin Sangster will make his Super Rugby debut, with Hawke's Bay hooker Jacob Devery likely to come off the bench for his first appearance at this level and former Chief Bailyn Sullivan eyeing his Hurricanes debut at some point.
At the other end of the spectrum, veteran prop Ben May faces his 100th outing for the Hurricanes from the reserves, after previous stints with the Crusaders and Chiefs.
Hurricanes: 1-Pouri Rakete-Stones, 2-Asafo Aumua, 3-Tyrel Lomax, 4-James Blackwell, 5-Justin Sangster, 6-Devan Flanders, 7-Du'Plessis Kirifi, 8-Ardie Savea (c), 9-Jamie Booth, 10-Ruben Love, 11-Wes Goosen, 12-Peter Umaga-Jensen, 13-Billy Proctor, 14-Julian Savea, 15-Jordie Barrett
Reserves: 16-Jacob Devery, 17-Xavier Numia, 18-Ben May, 19-Reed Prinsep, 20-Brayden Iose, 21-Richard Judd, 22-Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23-Bailyn Sullivan
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