Highlanders first-five Josh Ioane has been ruled out of Saturday night's Super Rugby Aotearoa opener against the Chiefs at Forsyth Barr Stadium with a groin injury.
The one-test All Black sustained the injury at training on Friday and will be assessed next week.
Mitch Hunt will wear the No. 10 jersey, with NZ Sevens star Vilimoni Koroi promoted to the starting side where he'll play fullback in what will be his Super Rugby debut.
Bryn Gatland, the son of Chiefs coach Warren Gatland, has been added to the bench.
The match would have been the first this year Ioane played at first-five, as he shifted between second-five and fullback, with former Crusader Hunt assuming playmaking duties before the season was suspended due to the coronavirus.
But coach Aaron Mauger opted to move Ioane back to his natural position, where his form in at first-five saw him make his All Blacks debut against Tonga before last year's World Cup.
Along with Koroi, Sam Gilbert will also make his Super Rugby debut after being named on the right wing.
The Chiefs have lost only one of their last five Super Rugby games against the Highlanders, but their last encounter ended in a 31-31 draw.
Highlanders: 1-Ayden Johnstone, 2-Ash Dixon (c), 3-Siate Tokolahi, 4-Pari Pari Parkinson, 5-Josh Dickson, 6-Shannon Frizell, 7-Dillon Hunt, 8-Marino Mikaele Tu'u, 9-Aaron Smith, 10-Mitch Hunt, 11-Jona Nareki, 12-Patelesio Tomkinson, 13-Rob Thompson, 14-Sam Gilbert, 15-Vilimoni Koroi
Reserves: 16-Liam Coltman, 17-Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18-Jeff Thwaites, 19-Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 20-Teariki Ben-Nicholas, 21-Kayne Hammington, 22-Teihorangi Walden, 23-Bryn Gatland
Join us as 7pm Saturday for live updates of the Highlanders v Chiefs Super Rugby Aotearoa clash.
