Dan Carter's long-awaited Super Rugby return will have to wait after a calf injury ruled him out of the Blues' clash against the Hurricanes at Sky Stadium on Saturday.
Carter was initially named on the bench for the clash, but felt a tightening of the calf during training on Thursday and was later ruled out by coach Leon MacDonald.
"Dan has pulled up tight, it is nothing major but we don't want to risk anything," says MacDonald.
"He was due to take his place on the bench but we will be starting with Matt Duffie on the bench.
"Dan was on the bench to cover 10 and 15. He wants to get in the campaign, and it felt like the time was right.
"If he was 23, we would have said he's good to go, but in his 30s we will err on the side of caution."
If Carter played, it would have been his first Super Rugby match since June 13, 2015.
Meanwhile, the Blues have made three forced changes from the team that lost to the Crusaders last weekend in Christchurch. Hooker Kurt Eklund, loose forward Aaron Carroll and wing Emoni Narawa replace James Parsons, Hoskins Sotutu and Caleb Clarke respectively.
Parsons (concussion) and Sotutu (knee) have been ruled out with injury, while Clarke is unavailable so he can attend his grandfather's funeral.
"Family is important to us," MacDonald said of Clarke's omission. "He fronted two games ago with his grandad's death and now it's time to go with his family and do the right thing. We support him fully with what he needs to do."
For the Hurricanes, Dane Coles will make his return from injury in one of four changes made to their starting side.
The Hurricanes co-captain missed last week's 17-11 win over the Highlanders with a calf issue but is fit enough to reclaim his spot in the starting side over Asafo Aumua, who is on the bench.
Along with Coles, Reed Prinsep has overcome a hamstring injury, replacing Devan Flanders who has been omitted from the team.
In the backs, Jackson Garden-Bachop comes in for Fletcher Smith, while Peter Umaga-Jensen replaces Vince Aso in the centres.
On the bench, prop Fraser Armstrong replaces Pouri Ratate-Stones, while Isaia Walker-Leawere comes on for Murphy Taramai, who made his Hurricanes debut in the win over the Highlanders.
The Blues beat the Hurricanes 30-20 in the opening round of Super Rugby Aotearoa.
Hurricanes: 1-Ben May, 2-Dane Coles, 3-Tyrel Lomax, 4-James Blackwell, 5-Scott Scrafton, 6-Reed Prinsep, 7-Du'Plessis Kirifi, 8-Ardie Savea, 9-TJ Perenara, 10-Jackson Garden-Bachop, 11-Ben Lam, 12-Ngani Laumape, 13-Peter Umaga-Jensen, 14-Kobus Van Wyk, 15-Jordie Barrett
Reserves: 16-Asafo Aumua, 17-Fraser Armstrong, 18-Alex Fidow, 19-Isaia Walker-Leawere, 20-Vaea Fifita, 21-Jamie Booth, 22-Billy Proctor, 23-Wes Goosen
Blues: 1-Alex Hodgman, 2-Kurt Eklund 3-Ofa Tuungafasi, 4-Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 5-Josh Goodhue, 6-Aaron Carroll, 7-Dalton Papalii, 8-Akira Ioane, 9-Finlay Christie, 10-Otere Black, 11-Mark Telea, 12-Harry Plummer, 13-Rieko Ioane, 14-Emoni Narawa, 15-Beauden Barrett
Reserves: 16-Luteru Tolai, 17-Marcel Renata, 18-Sione Mafileo, 19-Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 20-Tony Lamborn, 21-Jonathan Ruru, 22-TJ Faiane, 23-Matt Duffie
Join us at 7pm Saturday for live updates of the Hurricanes v Blues Super Rugby Aotearoa clash
