Official team lists for this week's round of the National Provincial Championship.
Several All Blacks have been released to play for their provinces in national championship fixtures this weekend, after spending the past month largely as spectators during the series against Ireland and South Africa.
The following players are available for NPC selection this weekend:
Counties Manukau - Nepo Laulala, Dalton Papalii, Hoskins Sotutu
Taranaki - Stephen Perofeta
Canterbury - Braydon Ennor
Northland - Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Jack Goodhue
Wellington - Dane Coles
Tasman - Leicester Fainga'anuku, Sevu Reece
Otago - Josh Dickson
Auckland - Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Bay of Plenty - Aidan Ross
Hawke’s Bay - Folau Fakatava
Otago v Hawke's Bay
7pm, Wednesday, August 17
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
One-test All Black Josh Ioane has been named at fullback for his 50th appearance for Otago against Hawke's Bay.
The southerners have also named Jake Te Hiwi for a debut off the bench against the unbeaten Magpies, while Otago hope to back up their home win over Tasman last weekend.
Otago: 1-Josh Hohneck (c), 2-Ricky Jackson, 3-Saula Ma’u, 4-Fabian Holland, 5-Joshua Hill, 6- Sam Fischli, 7-Sean Withy, 8-Rupeni Tamani, 9-James Arscott, 10-Cameron Millar, 11-Vilimoni Koroi, 12-Raymond Nu’u, 13-Josh Timu, 14-Freedom Vahaakolo, 15-Josh Ioane
Reserves: 16-Henry Bell, 17-Abraham Pole, 18-Tau Koloamatangi, 19-Will Tucker, 20-Oliver Haig, 21-Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, 22-Sam Gilbert, 23-Jake Te Hiwi
The Magpies have named lock Sione Tu'ipulotu for a debut against Otago.
Hawke's Bay: 1-Mark Braidwood, 2-Tyrone Thompson, 3-Joe Apikotoa, 4-Bryn Evans, 5-Tom Parsons (c), 6-Sione Tu'ipulotu, 7-Josh Kaifa, 8-Devan Flanders, 9-Ereatara Enari, 10-Caleb Makene, 11-Lolagi Visinia, 12-Nick Grigg, 13-Stacey Ili, 14-Ollie Sapsford, 15-Harry Godfrey
Reserves: 16-Gene Syminton, 17-Lolani Faleiva, 18-Joel Hintz, 19-Frank Lochore, 20-Will Tremain, 21-Connor McLeod, 22-Kienan Higgins, 23-Anzelo Tutavuki
Counties Manukau v Waikato
7pm, Friday, August 19
Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe
All Blacks Dalton Papalii, Hoskins Sotutu and Nepo Laulala will suit up for the Steelers against Waikato, with Papalii at blindside flanker, Sotutu at No.8 and Laulala at prop.
Loose forward Setefano Leavasa has been named for his debut off the bench.
Counties Manukau: 1-Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 2-Zuriel Togiatama, 3-Nepo Laulala, 4-William Furniss, 5-Sam Slade, 6-Dalton Papalii, 7-Sean Reidy, 8-Hoskins Sotutu, 9-Cameron Roigard, 10-Riley Hohepa, 11-Peniasi Malimali, 12-AJ Alatimu, 13-Nikolai Foliaki, 14-Jared Page, 15-Etene Nanai-Seturo
Reserves: 16-Ioane Moananu, 17-Mark Royal, 18-Suetana Asomua, 19-Jadin Kingi, 20-Setefano Leavasa, 21-Liam Daniela, 22-Tevita Ofa, 23-Esau Filimoehala
Waikato: 1-Robert Cobb, 2-Pita Anae Ah-Sue, 3-Sosefo Kautai, 4-Hamilton Burr, 5-Laghlan McWhannell, 6-Samipeni Finau, 7-Mitchell Jacobson, 8-Te Rama Reuben, 9-Rhys Dickinson, 10-Damian McKenzie, 11-Mosese Dawai, 12-D'Angelo Leuila, 13-Bailyn Sullivan, 14-Daniel Sinkinson, 15-Liam Coombes-Fabling
Reserves: 16-Rhys Marshall, 17-Ollie Norris, 18-Solomone Tukuafu, 19-James Thompson, 20-Liam Messam, 21-Xavier Roe, 22-Taha Kemara, 23-Alapati Leiua
Taranaki v Canterbury
2pm, Saturday, August 20
Pukekura Park, New Plymouth
All Blacks rooke Stephen Perofeta, who was the NPC's leading pointscorer last season, will return from national team duty at fullback for the Bulls against Canterbury. Hooker Ricky Riccitelli will celebrate his 50th appearance for Taranaki in the No.2 jersey.
Taranaki: 1-Jared Proffit, 2-Ricky Riccitelli, 3-Donald Brighouse, 4-Jesse Parete, 5-Mitch Brown, 6-Kaylum Boshier, 7-Michael Lott, 8-Pita Gus Sowakula, 9-Liam Blyde, 10-Jayson Potroz, 11-Vereniki Tikoisolomone, 12-Teihorangi Walden, 13-Daniel Rona, 14-Meihana Grindlay, 15-Stephen Perofeta
Reserves: 16-Bradley Slater, 17-Mitch O'Neill, 18-Kyle Stewart, 19-Scott Jury, 20-Hemopo Cunningham, 21-Logan Crowley, 22-Brayton Northcott-Hill, 23-Adam Lennox
Veteran lock Luke Romano returns to bolster a Canterbury side that has lost youngster Zach Gallagher to injury. All Black Braydon Ennor also joins the bench, after being released from national team duty during the Rugby Championship hiatus.
Canterbury: 1-Daniel Lienert-Brown, 2-Shilo Klein, 3-Oli Jager, 4-Luke Romano, 5-Sam Darry, 6-Billy Harmon (c), 7-Tom Christie, 8-Cullen Grace, 9-Mitchell Drummond, 10-Fergus Burke, 11-George Bridge, 12-Rameka Poihipi, 13-Dallas McLeod, 14-Wil Gualter, 15-Chay Fihaki
Reserves: 16-George Bell, 17-Seb Calder, 18-Owen Franks, 19-Dominic Gardiner, 20-Corey Kellow, 21-Willi Heinz, 22-Alex Harford, 23-Braydon Ennor
Wellington v Northland
2pm, Saturday, August 20
Porirua Park, Wellington
All Blacks hooker Dane Coles will return to the Wellington squad off the bench against Northland, during the Rugby Championship break, while former international Nene Milner-Skudder will make his debut for the Lions, after playing most of his career for Manawatū.
Julian Savea celebrates his 50th game for Wellington, while another former All Black - halfback TJ Perenara - drops back to the bench against the Taniwha.
Wellington: 1-Xavier Numia, 2-Asafo Aumua, 3-Pekahou Cowan, 4-James Blackwell, 5-Caleb Delany, 6-Taine Plumtree, 7-Du'Plessis Kirifi, 8-Peter Lakai, 9-Richard Judd, 10-Jackson Garden-Bachop, 11-Nene Milner-Skudder, 12-Peter Umaga-Jensen, 13-Billy Proctor, 14-Julian Savea, 15-Connor Garden-Bachop
Reserves: 16-Dane Coles, 17-Solomona Sakalia, 18-PH Sheck, 19-Josh Toomaga, 20-Keelan Whitman, 21-TJ Perenara, 22-Ruben Love, 23-Pepesana Patafilo
After coming off the bench last week against Waikato, All Black Jack Goodhue will start in midfield for Northland, alongside former international Rene Ranger. All Blacks prop Ofa Tu'ungafasi, who was a late withdrawal last week, has been named to debut in the front row again, while fellow prop Jarred Adams will debut off the bench.
Northland: 1-Ross Wright, 2-Matt Moulds, 3-Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 4-Allan Craig, 5-Liam Hallam-Eames, 6-Rob Rush, 7-Jonah Mau'u, 8-Sam McNamaram 9-Sam Nock, 10-Rivez Reihana, 11-Heremaia Murray, 12-Jack Goodhue, 13-Rene Ranger, 14-Jone Macilai-Toni, 15-Josh Moorby
Reserves: 16-Bruce Kauika-Petersen, 17-Jarred Adams, 18-Coree Te Whata-Colley, 19-Josh Goodhue, 20-Matt Matich, 21-Lisati Milo-Harris, 22-Dan Hawkins, 23-Tamati Tua
North Harbour v Tasman
4:30pm, Saturday, August 20
North Harbour Stadium, Albany
All Blacks winger Sevu Reece will pull on the No.15 jersey in his return to the Mako against North Harbou. Fellow winger Leicester Fainga'anuku also returns from national team duty
Tasman: 1-Luca Inch, 2-Andrew Makalio, 3-Sam Matenga, 4-Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, 5-Quinten Strange (C), 6-Max Hicks, 7-Braden Stewart, 8-Sione Havili Talitui, 9-Noah Hotham, 10-Campbell Parata, 11-Leicester Fainga'anuku, 12-Alex Nankivell, 13-Levi Aumua, 14-Timoci Tavatavanawai, 15-Sevu Reece
Reserves: 16-Quentin MacDonald, 17-Keshawe Sykes-Martin, 18-Atu Moli, 19-Mahonri Ngakuru, 20-Antonio Shalfoon, 21-Louie Chapman, 22-Fetuli Paea, 23-William Havili
Auckland v Bay of Plenty
2pm, Sunday, August 21
Eden Park, Auckland
Auckland: 1-Alex Hodgman, 2-Leni Apisai, 3-Marcel Renata, 4-Hamish Dalzell, 5-Connor Vest, 6-Vaioloni Ekuasi, 7-Adrian Choat, 8-Jackson Pugh, 9-Taufa Funaki, 10-Harry Plummer (c), 11-Salesi Rayasi, 12-Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 13-AJ Lam, 14-Tomas Aoake, 15-Jordan Trainor
Reserves: 16-Soane Vikena, 17-Jordan Lay, 18-Hamdahn Tuipulotu, 19-Jamie Lane, 20-Niko Jones, 21-Manu Paea, 22-Simon Hickey, 23-Corey Evans
Bay of Plenty: 1-Aidan Ross, 2-Kurt Eklund, 3-Tevita Mafileo, 4-Justin Sangster, 5-Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 6-Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 7-Jacob Norris, 8-Zane Kapeli, 9-Jamie Dobie, 10-Kaleb Trask, 11-Nigel Ah Wong, 12-Inga Finau, 13-Joey Walton, 14-Emoni Narawa, 15-Gillies Kaka
Reserves: 16-Anaru Rangi, 17-Haereti Hetet, 18-Pasilio Tosi, 19-Nikora Broughton, 20-Penitoa Finau, 21-Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22-Wharenui Hawera, 23-Taylor Haugh
Southland v Otago
2pm, Sunday, August 21
Rugby Park, Invercargill
Manawatū v Hawke's Bay
4:30pm, Sunday, August 21
Central Energy Trust Arena, Palmerston North
More to come
