Official team lists and injury news for this week's round of Super Rugby Pacific.
Chiefs v Waratahs
8pm Friday, April 22
AAMI Park, Melbourne
The Chiefs will be without co-captain Brad Weber for their first trans-Tasman Super Rugby Pacific clash, taking on the Waratahs at Melbourne's AAMI Park.
Weber will miss Friday night's encounter with a shoulder complaint, joined on the sidelines by winger Shaun Stevenon, out with a knee injury.
In their places, Cortez Ratima keeps hold of the starting halfback spot, after Weber came off the bench against Moana Pasifika last week, while All Blacks midfielder Quinn Tupaea shifts to the left wing to accomodate the loss of Stevenson.
After sitting out against Moana Pasifika, Sam Cane returns to the starting side as captain, as part of a loose forward trio with Luke Jacobson and Pita Gus Sowakula.
In the front row, Aidan Ross and Samisoni Taukei'aho take the places of Ollie Norris and Bradley Slater, who both started against Moana Pasifika last week.
Chiefs: 1-Aidan Ross, 2-Samisoni Taukei'aho, 3-Angus Ta'avao, 4-Josh Lord, 5-Tupou Vaa'i, 6-Luke Jacobson, 7-Sam Cane (c), 8-Pita Gus Sowakula, 9-Cortez Ratima, 10-Bryn Gatland, 11-Quinn Tupaea, 12-Rameka Poihipi, 13-Alex Nankivell, 14-Jonah Lowe, 15-Chase Tiatia
Reserves: 16-Bradley Slater, 17-Ollie Norris, 18-George Dyer, 19-Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20-Samipeni Finau, 21-Xavier Roe, 22-Rivez Reihana, 23-Inga Finau
Blues v Fijian Drua
7:05pm Saturday, April 23
AAMI Park, Melbourne
The Blues have rung the changes for their first game of the season across the Tasman.
Coach Leon MacDonald has made nine adjustments to the starting XV that broke their win drought at Christchurch last weekend.
Among those is the return of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to the starting line-up, after making his comeback from injury off the bench on Friday.
Up front, only Tom Robinson and Hoskins Sotutu remain in the starting pack, with standout flanker Dalton Papalii being rested. Beauden Barrett will lead the side in Papalii's absence.
Blues: 1-Jordan Lay, 2-Ricky Riccitelli, 3-Nepo Laulala, 4-James Tucker, 5-Sam Darry, 6-Tom Robinson, 7-Adrian Choat, 8-Hoskins Sotutu, 9-Taufa Funaki, 10-Beauden Barrett, 11-AJ Lam, 12-Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 13-Rieko Ioane, 14-Mark Telea, 15-Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Reserves: 16-Sione Vikena, 17-Karl Tu'inukuafe 18-Marcel Renata, 19-Luke Romano, 20-Anton Segner, 21-Lisati Milo-Harris, 22-Tanielu Tele'a, 23-Jock McKenzie
Hurricanes v Reds
9:45pm Saturday, April 23
AAMI Park, Melbourne
The Jordie Barrett midfield experiment seems to have ended - for now - at the Hurricanes, with the All Blacks fullback restored to the No.15 jersey for their game against the Reds.
Peter Umaga-Jensen and Bailyn Sullivan will man the midfield, with Kianu Kereru-Symes starting at hooker, with international Asofa Aumua suspended for three weeks.
Halfback TJ Perenara will combine with Aidan Morgan, as coach Jason Holland continues to change the inside-back combinations.
Hurricanes: 1-Pouri Rakete-Stones, 2-Kianu Kereru-Symes, 3-Tyrel Lomax, 4-James Blackwell, 5-Isaia Walker-Leawere, 6-Reed Prinsep, 7-Blacke Gibson, 8-Ardie Savea, 9-TJ Perenara, 10-Aidan Morgan, 11-Wes Goosen, 12-Peter Umaga-Jensen, 13-Bailyn Sullivan, 14-Julian Savea, 15-Jordie Barrett
Reserves: 16-Leni Apisai, 17-Xavier Numia, 18-Tevita Mafileo, 19-Justin Sangster, 20-Te Kamaaka Howden, 21-Jamie Booth, 22-Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23-Billy Proctor
Highlanders v Brumbies
4pm Sunday, April 24
AAMI Park, Melbourne
Former Waratahs lock Sam Caird and Otago loose forward Christian Lio-Willie are poised for Highlanders debuts against the top-ranked Australian side, while Folau Fakatava will start at halfback, with All Blacks No.9 Aaron Smith unavailable.
Prop Josh Hohneck will bring up his 50th game for southerners, after winning a Super Rugby title with the team in 2015, then clocking up 100 games for Gloucester over the following four years.
Highlanders: 1-Ethan de Groot, 2-Liam Coltman, 3-Jermaine Ainsley, 4-Bryn Evans, 5-Sam Caird, 6-Hugh Renton, 7-James Lentjes (C), 8-Gareth Evans, 9-Folau Fakatava, 10-Marty Banks, 11-Mosese Dawai, 12-Fetuli Paea, 13-Thomas Umaga-Jensen, 14-Freedom Vahaakolo, 15-Mitch Hunt
Reserves: 16-Andrew Makalio, 17-Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18-Josh Hohneck, 19-Max Hicks, 20-Billy Harmon, 21-Kayne Hammington, 22-Sam Gilbert, 23-Christian Lio-Willie
Crusaders v Rebels
6:30pm Sunday, April 24
AAMI Park, Melbourne
The Crusaders welcome two All Blacks back into the fold for their first game of 2022 on Australian soil.
After 12 months on the sidelines with a knee injury, midfielder Jack Goodhue returns to start in the No.12 jersey, next to Braydon Ennor, with David Havili being rested.
Upfront, a fully fit Sam Whitelock makes a timely comeback to start at lock in the absence of suspended captain Scott Barrett.
A reshuffle in the loose forwards sees Ethan Blackadder move to openside flanker for the rested Tom Christie and Pablo Matera step into the starting side at blindside flanker.
Meanwhile, All Blacks prop Joe Moody won't travel to Australia with the squad. Moody injured his knee during the loss to the Blues last weekend and will undergo further testing to determine his recovery timeframe.
Crusaders: 1-George Bower, 2-Codie Taylor (c), 3-Oli Jager, 4-Zach Gallagher, 5-Sam Whitelock, 6-Pablo Matera, 7-Ethan Blackadder, 8-Cullen Grace, 9-Mitch Drummond, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-Leicester Fainga'anuku, 12-Jack Goodhue, 13-Braydon Ennor, 14-Sevu Reece, 15-George Bridge
Reserves: 16-Ricky Jackson, 17-Tamaiti Williams, 18-Fletcher Newell, 19-Dominic Gardner, 20-Corey Kellow, 21-Bryn Hall, 22-Fergus Burke, 23-Chay Fihaki
