Official team lists and injury news for this week's round of Super Rugby Pacific.
Highlanders v Moana Pasifika
7pm Friday, April 8
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Young Tasman lock Max Hicks will make his Highlanders debut off the bench, when the southerners face the competition's newest team for the first time.
At the other end of the spectrum, veteran loose forward Gareth Evans will play his 50th Super Rugby game for the Highlanders in a career that has also seen him log 34 games for the Hurricanes, before returning to Dunedin, after a four-year absence.
Coach Tony Brown will field an unchanged backline from their loss to the Crusaders last week, but brings props Ethan de Groot and Jermaine Ainsley into his forward pack, along with lock Manaaki Selby-Rickit.
Highlanders: 1-Ethan De Groot, 2-Andrew Makalio, 3-Jermaine Ainsley, 4-Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 5-Josh Dickson, 6-Shannon Frizell, 7-James Lentjes, 8-Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, 9-Aaron Smith (c), 10-Mitch Hunt, 11-Mosese Dawai, 12-Scott Gregory, 13-Fetuli Paea, 14-Sam Gilbert, 15-Connor Garden-Bachop
Reserves: 16-Rhys Marshall, 17-Ayden Johnstone, 18-Saula Mau, 19-Max Hicks, 20-Gareth Evans, 21-Folau Fakatava, 22-Vilimoni Koroi, 23-Denny Solomona
Moana Pasifika coach Aaron Mauger has made three changes to the starting XV that took on the Blues at Eden Park last week.
Luteru Tolai will wear the No.2 jersey, while Sam Slade returns to the second row and Alamanda Motuga assumes the openside flanker role, with Solomone Funaki shifting to the blindside.
Mauger will field an unchanged backline against his old outfit, where he served from 2018-20.
Moana Pasifika: 1-Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 2-Luteru Tolai, 3-Sekope Kepu (c), 4-Veikoso Poloniati, 5-Samuel Slade, 6-Solomone Funaki, 7-Alamanda Motuga, 8-Penitoa Finau, 9-Ereatara Enari, 10-Christian Leali'ifano, 11-Timoci Tavatavanawai, 12-Danny Toala, 13-Levi Aumua, 14-Tima Fainga'anuku, 15-William Havili
Reserves: 16-Samiuela Moli, 17-Abraham Pole, 18-Chris Apoua, 19-Mahonri Ngakuru, 20-Sione Tu’ipulotu, 21-Jonathan Taumateine, 22-Lincoln McClutchie, 23-Fine Inisi
Hurricanes v Crusaders
4:30pm Saturday, April 9
Sky Stadium, Wellington
Coach Jason Holland has made two changes to the starting side which lost to the Chiefs at Wellington on Sunday.
Young Manawatū Turbos loose forward Te Kamaka Howden gets the chance to make his Hurricanes debut at flanker, while Josh Moorby moves in to start at fullback, shifting Ruben Love to the bench.
An impressive performance against the Chiefs last weekend sees All Black Jordie Barrett again start at second-five, with Billy Proctor beside him at centre.
Hurricanes: 1-Pouri Rakete-Stones, 2-Asafo Aumua, 3-Tyrel Lomax, 4-James Blackwell, 5-Scott Scrafton, 6-Te Kamaka Howden, 7-Du'Plessis Kirifi, 8-Ardie Savea (c), 9-TJ Perenara, 10-Jackson Garden-Bachop, 11-Wes Goosen, 12-Jordie Barrett, 13-Billy Proctor, 14-Julian Savea, 15-Josh Moorby
Reserves: 16-James O'Reilly, 17-Alex Fidow, 18-Tevita Mafileo, 19-Caleb Delany, 20-Devan Flanders, 21-Jamie Booth, 22-Bailyn Sullivan, 23-Ruben Love
Otago hooker Ricky Jackson will become Crusader No.264, when he debuts off the bench against the Hurricanes. With Brodie McAlister injured and Shilo Klein suspended, Jackson will back up All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor.
Coach Scott Robertson has made two changes to his starting XV, with Argentinian loose forward Pablo Matera occupying the blindside flank, All Black Ethan Blackadder switching to openside and Tom Christie dropping to the bench.
Braydon Ennor comes into the midfield, alongside David Havili, with Leicester Fainga'anuku moving to the reserves.
Crusaders: 1-Joe Moody, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-Fletcher Newell, 4-Scott Barrett (c), 5-Quinten Strange, 6-Pablo Matera, 7-Ethan Blackadder, 8-Cullen Grace, 9-Mitch Drummond, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-George Bridge, 12-David Havili, 13-Braydon Ennor, 14-Sevu Reece, 15-Will Jordan
Reserves: 16-Ricky Jackson, 17-George Bower, 18-Tamaiti Williams, 19-Zach Gallagher, 20-Tom Christie, 21-Bryn Hall, 22-Fergus Burke, 23-Leicester Fainga'anuku
Chiefs v Blues
7pm Saturday, April 9
FMG Stadium, Hamilton
Only one change has been made to the starting forward pack that defeated the Hurricanes last Sunday, with All Black Josh Lord starting in the No. 4 jersey for the injured Tupou Vaa'i.
In the backline, Bryn Gatland will start at first-five for the injured Josh Ioane. Alex Nankivell shifts back to the midfield for his 50th match for the Chiefs, shifting Quinn Tupaea to the bench.
In the back three, Emoni Narawa moves from fullback to the right wing, with Kaleb Trask returning from an injury niggle to start in the No. 15 jersey.
Chiefs: 1-Aidan Ross, 2-Samisoni Taukei'aho, 3-Angus Ta'avao, 4-Josh Lord, 5-Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 6-Kaylum Boshier, 7-Sam Cane (cc), 8-Pita Gus Sowakula, 9-Brad Weber, 10-Bryn Gatland, 11-Etene Nanai-Seturo, 12-Alex Nankivell, 13-Anton Lienert-Brown, 14-Emoni Narawa, 15-Kaleb Trask
Reserves: 16-Bradley Slater, 17-Ollie Norris, 18-George Dyer, 19-Samipeni Finau, 20-Luke Jacobson, 21-Cortez Ratima, 22-Quinn Tupaea, 23-Chase Tiatia
The Blues will welcome star All Blacks first-five Beauden Barrett back into the fold for their clash against the Chiefs.
Since being forced from the field with a head knock against the Highlanders, Barrett hasn't suffered any concussion symptoms. He served the mandatory 10-day stand-down period to miss the two games against Moana Pasifika, but returns this weekend to reclaim the No. 10 jersey.
Stephen Perofeta moves to fullback to fill in for injured Zarn Sullivan, while Mark Telea replaces the suspended Caleb Clarke.
Up front, All Blacks No. 8 Hoskins Sotutu has been cleared to return to the back of the scrum, while Josh Goodhue is also back from injury to start at lock.
Blues: 1-Alex Hodgman, 2-Kurt Eklund, 3-Ofa Tuungafasi, 4-Luke Romano, 5-Josh Goodhue, 6-Tom Robinson, 7-Dalton Papalii, 8-Hoskins Sotutu, 9-Finlay Christie, 10-Beauden Barrett, 11-Mark Telea, 12-Bryce Heem, 13-Rieko Ioane, 14-Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepens, 15-Stephen Perofeta
Reserves: 16-Ricky Riccitelli, 17-Jordan Lay, 18-Marcel Renata, 19-James Tucker, 20-Adrian Choat, 21-Sam Nock, 22-Tanielu Tele'a, 23-AJ Lam
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