Official team lists and injury news for this week's round of Super Rugby Pacific.
Moana Pasifika v Blues
7pm Tuesday, March 29
Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Both teams have run the changes, as they juggled their roster to cope with three games within seven days.
Four days after their maiden Super Rugby win over the Hurricanes, coach Aaron Mauger has named 11 players to debut for Moana Pasifika, with Jack Lam becoming the first Samoan to captain the side.
Prop Abraham Pole will have the unique distinction of playing against and for Moana Pasifika in their debut season, after appearing for the Crusaders in their opening game, then joining the new franchise as a permanent replacement.
Only second-five Henry Taefu retains his starting sport from the Hurricanes victory.
Moana Pasifika: 1-Abraham Pole, 2-Luteru Tolai, 3-Joe 'Apikotoa, 4-Michael Curry, 5-Xavier Cowley-Tuioti, 6-Penitoa Finau, 7-Alamanda Motuga, 8-Jack Lam, 9-Ereatara Enari, 10-Lincoln McClutchie, 11-Anzelo Tuitavuki, 12-Henry Taefu, 13-Fine Inisi, 14-Tomasi Alosio, 15-D’Angelo Leuila
Reserves: 16-Ray Niuia, 17-Suetena Asomua, 18-Chris Apoua, 19-Alex McRobbie, 20-Josh Kaifa, 21-Manu Paea, 22-Solomone Kata, 23-Lolagi Visinia
Crusaders centurion Luke Romano will complete his transformation to the Blues, accepting the captain's armband for their clash with Moana Pasifika.
Coach Leon MacDonald has also wrapped most of his frontline performers in cotton wool, with only winger Mark Telea keeping his jersey from last week's starting XV against the Highlanders.
Four reserves face Blues debuts - prop Josh Fusitua, lock Cameron Suafoa, loose forward Vaiolini Ekuasi and first-five Jock McKenzie - while All Blacks prop Karl Tu'inukuafe will also make his season debut from the bench.
Blues: 1-Alex Hodgman, 2-Ricky Riccitelli, 3-Nepo Laulala, 4-Luke Romano, 5-Sam Darry, 6-Taine Plumtree, 7-Adrian Choat, 8-Anton Segner, 9. Taufa Funaki, 10-Stephen Perofeta, 11-AJ Lam, 12-Tanielu Tel’ea, 13-Tamati Tua, 14-Mark Telea, 15-Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepens
Reserves: 16-Soane Vikena, 17-Josh Fusitua, 18-Karl Tu’inukuafe, 19-Cameron Suafoa, 20-Vaiolini Ekuasi, 21-Finlay Christie, 22-Corey Evans, 23-Jock McKenzie
Crusaders v Highlanders
7pm Friday, April 1
Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch
Young lock Zach Gallagher will make his Crusaders debut off the bench against the Highlanders, as coach Scott Robertson manages a second-row injury crisis in his squad.
With All Blacks veteram Sam Whitelock sidelined for a month with a broken thumb and Mitch Dunshea undergoing season-ending knee surgery, Gallagher, 20, looks likely to play a big part in the Crusaders Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
Most other tweaks to this week's line-up seem simply cases of rotation, with an all-new front row of Joe Moody, Codie Taylor and Fletcher Newell, Mitch Drummond taking the No.9 jersey and Sevu Reece starting on the wing.
Crusaders: 1-Joe Moody, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-Fletcher Newell, 4-Scott Barrett (C), 5-Quinten Strange, 6-Ethan Blackadder, 7-Tom Christie, 8-Cullen Grace, 9-Mitch Drummond, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-George Bridge, 12-David Havili, 13-Leicester Fainga'anuku, 14-Sevu Reece, 15-Will Jordan
Reserves: 16-Shilo Klein, 17-George Bower, 18-Tamaiti Williams, 19-Zach Gallagher, 20-Pablo Matera, 21-Bryn Hall, 22-Fergus Burke, 23-Braydon Ennor
Former England winger Denny Solomona will make his Highlanders debut off the bench against the Crusaders.
Loose forward Gareth Evens will make his 50th appearance for the southerners, while Marty Banks logs his 50th Super Rugby game, both as reserves.
Missing against the Blues, Marino Mikaele-Tu'u returns to his customary No.8 spot, hooker Andrew Makalio and prop Josh Hohneck enter the starting front row, Bryn Evans switches in for Manaaki Selby-Rickit at lock, while Connor Garden-Bachop takes the No.15 jersey, with Sam Gilbert sliding to the wing.
Highlanders: 1-Daniel Lienert-Brown, 2-Andrew Makalio, 3-Josh Hohneck, 4-Bryn Evans, 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-Ethan de Groot, 18-Jermaine Ainsley, 19-Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 20-Gareth Evans, 21-Folau Fakatava, 22-Marty Banks, 23-Denny Solomona
Hurricanes v Chiefs
2:30pm Sunday, April 3
Sky Stadium, Wellington
Blues: 1-Alex Hodgman, 2-Kurt Eklund, 3-Marcel Renata, 4-James Tucker, 5-Tom Robinson, 6-Cameron Suafoa, 7-Dalton Papalii, 8-Anton Segner, 9-Finlay Christie, 10-Stephen Perofeta, 11-Caleb Clarke, 12-Corey Evans, 13-Bryce Heem, 14-AJ Lam, 15- Zarn Sullivan
Reserves: 16-Soane Vikena, 17-Karl Tu'inukuafe/Jordan Lay, 18-Ofa Tuungafasi, 19-Luke Romano, 20-Adrian Choat, 21-Sam Nock, 22-Tanielu Tele’a, 23-Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepens
All Black Jordie Barrett has shifted into the No.12 jersey, while captain Ardie Savea will make his return for the Hurricanes after missing last week's defeat to Moana Pasifika.
Barrett shifts from fullback into the midfield to face the Chiefs, seeing Ruben Love take the No.15 jersey, and Jackson Garden-Bachop move to first-five, replacing last week's debutant Aidan Morgan.
Savea meanwhile returns to the starting side after being named on the bench for last week's golden point defeat. He takes the place of Brayden Iose at No.8, as Du'Plessis Kirifi also returns on the openside of the scrum.
In the front row, Pouri Rakete-Stones takes the place of Xavier Numia to join Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax, while James Blackwell returns to partner Scott Scrafton at lock.
In the backs, Julian Savea returns on the right wing, shifting Josh Moorby to the bench after his debut last week, while Billy Proctor will partner Barrett in midfield.
Hurricanes: 1-Pouri Rakete-Stones, 2-Asafo Aumua, 3-Tyrel Lomax, 4-James Blackwell, 5-Scott Scrafton, 6-Reed Prinsep, 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-Ruben Love
Reserves: 16-James O'Reilly, 17-Xavier Numia, 18-Tevita Mafileo, 19-Caleb Delany, 20-Devan Flanders, 21-Jamie Booth, 22-Bailyn Sullivan, 23-Josh Moorby
All Blacks flanker Luke Jacobson will make his highly anticipated return from injury off the bench on Sunday afternoon.
Naitoa Ah Kuoi will get his first start of the season at lock, filling in for injured All Back Brodie Retallick, who faces up to eight weeks on the sidelines with a broken thumb.
Pita Gus Sowakula's return will add a huge boost to the pack, while Aidan Ross and Angus Ta'avao are back to start in the front row.
The backline also welcomes some test talent back to the fold, with Anton Lienert-Brown fit and ready to reclaim his No.13 jersey.
Josh Ioane returns to start at first five-eighth pairing up with co-captain Brad Weber at halfback. Alex Nankivell shifts from the midfield to start on the right wing and Emoni Narawa returns to start at fullback.
Chiefs: 1-Aidan Ross, 2-Samisoni Taukei'aho, 3-Angus Ta'avao, 4-Tupou Vaa'i, 5-Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 6-Kaylum Boshier, 7-Sam Cane (cc), 8-Pita Gus Sowakula, 9-Brad Weber, 10-Josh Ioane, 11-Etene Nanai-Seturo, 12-Quinn Tupaea, 13-Anton Lienert-Brown, 14-Alex Nankivell, 15-Emoni Narawa
Reserves: 16-Tyrone Thompson, 17-Atu Moli, 18-Sione Mafileo,19-Laghlan McWhannell, 20-Luke Jacobson, 21-Cortez Ratima, 22-Bryn Gatland, 23-Chase Tiatia
Blues v Moana Pasifika
7pm, Saturday April 2
Eden Park, Auckland
Blues coach Leon MacDonald has rotated his squad for Saturday's rematch against Moana Pasifika.
Midfielder Corey Evans along with loose forwards Cameron Suafoa and Anton Segner, with just five caps between them, have earned a start in the return clash.
The trio join an experienced group who come back into the line-up including Kurt Eklund, Marcel Renata, James Tucker, Tom Robinson (who starts at lock) and captain Dalton Papalii in the pack.
All Black Finlay Christie starts at halfback alongside Stephen Perofeta, joining the returning Bryce Heem, Caleb Clarke and Zarn Sullivan.
All Blacks props Karl Tu'inukuafe and Ofa Tuungafasi will both come off the bench, as well as former international Luke Romano.
Blues: 1-Alex Hodgman, 2-Kurt Eklund, 3-Marcel Renata, 4-James Tucker, 5-Tom Robinson, 6-Cameron Suafoa, 7-Dalton Papalii, 8-Anton Segner, 9-Finlay Christie, 10-Stephen Perofeta, 11-Caleb Clarke, 12-Corey Evans, 13-Bryce Heem, 14-AJ Lam, 15- Zarn Sullivan
Reserves: 16-Soane Vikena, 17-Karl Tu'inukuafe/Jordan Lay, 18-Ofa Tuungafasi, 19-Luke Romano, 20-Adrian Choat, 21-Sam Nock, 22-Tanielu Tele’a, 23-Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepens
Coach Aaron Mauger has rung the changes for Moana Pasifika, naming essentially a new-look gameday squad to face the Blues for the second time in just four days.
Sekope Kepu returns to captain the side, joined by former Wallabies pivot Christian Leali'ifano, who replaces Lincoln McClutchie in the No. 10 jersey.
The same starting loose forward trio from Moana Pasifika’s historic 24-19 win over the Hurricanes will return to the field in Sione Tu'ipulotu, Solomone Funaki and Henry Time-Stowers.
Playing three games in eight days, Mauger has called in several debutants, including Tasman Mako flyer Timoci Tavatavanawai, who will start on the right wing.
Moana Pasifika: 1-Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 2-Samiuela Moli, 3-Sekope Kepu, 4-Veikoso Poloniati, 5-Michael Curry, 6-Sione Tu'ipulotu, 7-Solomone Funaki, 8-Henry Time-Stowers, 9-Ereatara Enari, 10-Christian Leali'ifano, 11-Anzelo Tuitavuki, 12-Solomone Kata, 13-Fine Inisi, 14-Timoci Tavatavanawai, 15-William Havili
Reserves: 16-Luteru Tolai, 17-Abraham Pole, 18-Chris Apoua, 19-Alex McRobbie, 20-Alamanda Motuga, 21-Dwayne Polataivao, 22-Lincoln McClutchie, 23-Tomasi Alosio
Join us for live updates of NZ Super Rugby Pacific matches this weekend
