Official team lists and injury news for NZ teams in this week's round of Super Rugby Pacific.
Chiefs v Fijian Drua
Friday, April 21, 7:05pm
FMG Stadium, Hamilton
Star first-five Damian McKenzie will slip back to the No.15 jersey, when the Chiefs host the Drua, as coach Clayton McMillan names a newlook inside-back combination of Cortez Ratima and Bryn Gatand.
The move has repercussions throughout the backline, with in-form fullback Shaun Stevenson moving to the wing.
All Blacks Tupou Vaa'i and Brad Weber have been given the week off, while loose fowards Sam Cane and Luke Jacobson are unavailable through injury.
Chiefs: 1-Ollie Norris, 2-Samisoni Taukei'aho, 3-John Ryan, 4-Brodie Retallick, 5-Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 6-Samipeni Finau, 7-Kaylum Boshier, 8-Pita Gus Sowakula, 9-Cortez Ratima, 10-Bryn Gatland, 11-Etene Nanai-Seturo, 12-Rameka Poihipi, 13-Daniel Rona, 14-Shaun Stevenson, 15-Damian McKenzie
Reserves: 16-Tyrone Thompson, 17-Jared Proffit, 18-Solomone Tukuafu, 19-Josh Lord, 20-Tupou Vaa'i, 21-Simon Parker, 22-Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 23-Gideon Wrampling
Melbourne Rebels v Crusaders
Friday, April 21, 9:35pm
AAMI Park, Melbourne
Crusaders coach Scott Robertson will regain the services of Cullen Grace for the road trip to Melbourne, naming the No.8 on the bench.
Grace lasted only seven minutes of their season-opener against the Chiefs, before leaving the field with a shoulder injury, but will return to the playing squad as loose forward cover for starters Dom Gardiner, Tom Christie and Christian Lo-Willie.
Concussed in their last game before the bye, midfielder Jack Goodhue will also return off the bench, with David Havili and Braydon Ennor given the starting nod.
Crusaders: 1-Joe Moody, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-Tamaiti Williams, 4-Scott Barrett, 5-Sam Whitelock, 6-Dom Gardiner, 7-Tom Christie, 8-Christian Lo-Willie, 9-Mitch Drummond, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-Macca Springer, 12-David Havili, 13-Braydon Ennor, 14-Pepesano Patafilo, 15-Fergus Burke
Reserves: 16-Brodie McAlister, 17-Finlay Brewis, 18-Seb Calder, 19-Quinten Strange, 20-Cullen Grace, 21-Willi Heinz, 22-Jack Goodhue, 23-Dallas McLeod
Blues v NSW Waratahs
Saturday, April 22, 7:05pm
Eden Park, Auckland
Beauden Barrett will take the field for his 150th Super Rugby game, when he lines up at first-five for the Blues against the Waratahs.
Through the first nine years of his career, Barrett played 125 times for the Hurricanes, before moving north in 2020. He has since logged 24 games for the Auckland-base franchise, missing the 2021 season, while on sabbatical in Japan.
Second-five Harry Plummer will play his 50th game for the Blues, who will be captained by former skipper Patrick Tuipulotu, in the absence of Dalton Papalii, carrying a rib injury.
All Black Akira Ioane will return to action from the bench, after suffering a knee injury in the season-opener.
Blues: 1-Ofa Tuungafasi, 2-Ricky Riccitelli, 3-Nepo Laulala, 4-Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 5-Sam Darry, 6-Anton Segner, 7-Adrian Choat, 8-Hoskins Sotutu, 9-Finlay Christie, 10-Beauden Barrett, 11-Caleb Clarke, 12-Harry Plummer, 13-Rieko Ioane, 14-Mark Telea, 15-Stephen Perofeta
Reserves: 16-Soane Vikena, 17-Jordan Lay, 18-James Lay, 19-Cameron Suafoa, 20-Akira Ioane, 21-Sam Nock, 22-Bryce Heem, 23-Zarn Sullivan
Western Force v Highlanders
Saturday, April 22, 9:35pm
Nib Stadium, Perth
As expected, the Highlanders will travel to West Australia without their two All Blacks halves, with Aaron Smith mourning the death of his father, and Folau Fakatava ill and unable to travel. Instead, James Arscott gets a rare start in the No.9 jersey.
The bye week has allowed several walking wounded to return from an overflowing injury ward, with Connor Garden-Bachop, Will Tucker and Mitch Hunt included in the starting XV, and Freddie Burns, Fabian Holland and Josh Timu named on the bench.
Highlanders: 1-Ethan de Groot, 2-Andrew Makalio, 3-Jermaine Ainsley, 4-Pari Pari Parkinson, 5-Will Tucker, 6-Shannon Frizell, 7-Billy Harmon (c), 8-Marino Mikaele Tu'u, 9-James Arscott, 10-Mitch Hunt, 11-Jonah Lowe, 12-Thomas Umaga-Jensen, 13-Fetuli Paea, 14-Connor Garden-Bachop, 15-Sam Gilbert
Reserves: 16-Leni Apisai, 17-Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18-Saula Ma'u, 19-Fabian Holland, 20-Sean Withy, 21-Nathan Hastie, 22-Freddie Burns, 23- Josh Timu
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