Official team lists and injury news for NZ teams in this week's final round of Super Rugby Pacific.
Blues v Highlanders
Friday, June 2, 7:05pm
Eden Park, Auckland
The Blues will be without All Blacks star Beauden Barrett for their final round robin match against the Highlanders on Friday.
Barrett required stitches to a cut on his heel suffered against the Reds a fortnight ago. He missed last weekend's win over the Hurricanes and will spend another week on the sidelines to allow as much time to heal as possible, before the playoffs begin.
A minor groin issue means Bryce Heem has been scratched from the run-on side, shifting Harry Plummer to second-five and bringing Stephen Perofeta off the bench to start in the No.10 jersey. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck moves in to the gameday squad as a substitute.
In more positive news, captain Dalton Papali'i will return from his three-game suspension a week early, after completing a World Rugby coaching intervention programme.
With Hoskins Sotutu on All Blacks rest, Papali'i will start at the back of the scrum, forming a loose forward trio with Tom Robinon and Anton Segner, who's in for the injured Adrian Choat.
A win for the Blues would secure a home quarter final, as well as the Gordon Hunter Trophy.
Rob Rush - son of sevens legend Eric Rush - may make his Super Rugby debut, named to the bench as loose forward cover.
Blues: 1-Ofa Tuungafasi, 2-Ricky Riccitelli, 3-Nepo Laulala, 4-Patrick Tuipulotu, 5-James Tucker, 6-Tom Robinson, 7-Anton Segner, 8-Dalton Papalii, 9-Finlay Christie, 10-Stephen Perofeta, 11-Caleb Clarke, 12-Harry Plummer, 13-Rieko Ioane, 14-Mark Telea, 15-Zarn Sullivan
Reserves: 16-Kurt Eklund, 17-Jordan Lay, 18-Marcel Renata, 19-Rob Rush, 20-Akira Ioane, 21-Sam Nock, 22-Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 23-AJ Lam
Coach Clarke Dermody has kept the faith with the team that escaped against the Reds last weekend with a last-minute try to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The only change in the starting XV is the addition of Scott Gregory on the right wing, with Jonah Lowe falling out of the gameday 23. Fetuli Paea joins the substitutes.
A win for the Highlanders would seal their place as the eighth and final team to advance to the playoffs.
Highlanders: 1-Ethan de Groot, 2-Andrew Makalio, 3-Jermaine Ainsley, 4-Pari Pari Parkinson, 5-Max Hicks, 6-Shannon Frizell, 7-Billy Harmon (c), 8-Hugh Renton, 9-Aaron Smith, 10-Freddie Burns, 11-Jona Nareki, 12-Sam Gilbert, 13-Matt Whaanga, 14-Scott Gregory, 15-Mitch Hunt
Reserves: 16-Rhys Marshall, 17-Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18-Saula Ma'u, 19-Marino Mikaele-Tu'u, 20-Sean Withy, 21-Folau Fakatava, 22-Connor Garden-Bachop, 23-Fetuli Paea
Hurricanes v Crusaders
Saturday, June 3, 7:05pm
Sky Stadium, Wellington
Coach Scott Robertson has shuffled the deck for the Crusaders' showdown with the Hurricanes.
Jack Goodhue has moved into the starting side to replace David Havili, who's been ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.
Christian Lio-Willie will shift to the back of the scrum to replace Cullen Grace, who's also been sidelined with a long-term knee injury.
Will Jordan returns to start at fullback, while John Afoa returns for his second and likely final outing of the season, after answering Robertson's SOS last week.
Tasman Mako prospect Louie Chapman is in line for his Super Rugby debut, with the halfback named to the bench.
Crusaders: 1-Tamaiti Williams, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-John Afoa, 4-Quin Strange, 5-Sam Whitelock, 6-Scott Barrett, 7-Tom Christie, 8-Christian Lio-Willie, 9-Mitch Drummond, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-Leicester Fainga'anuku, 12-Jack Goodhue, 13-Braydon Ennor, 14-Dallas McLeod, 15-Will Jordan
Reserves: 16-Brodie McAlister, 17-Kershawl Sykes-Martin, 18-Reuben O'Neill, 19-Zach Gallagher, 20-Sione Talitui, 21-Louie Chapman, 22-Fergus Burke, 23-Chay Fihaki
Veteran Dane Coles and Ruben Love will make a timely return to the Hurricanes this weekend.
Coles will slot back into the No. 2 jersey, while Ruben Love makes his comeback off the bench.
There are two changes to the backline from last week's game, with Brett Cameron starting at first-five and Daniel Sinkinson to partner Kini Naholo on the wing.
Sinkinson replaces the injured Julian Savea, who left the field early during the loss to the Blues and is expected to play no further part in the season, due to a pectoral injury.
Savea, 32, is off contract at the end of this season, meaning he may have played his final match for the Hurricanes. He recently celebrated the 150-game milestone with the franchise and is now tied for the Super rugby tryscoring record.
Fellow wing Salesi Rayasi has suffered a similar fate, with a knee ligament injury ruling him out of the rest of the campaign.
James Blackwell starts at lock, alongside Wellington’s Caleb Delany, and Justin Sangster will provide impact off the bench. Flankers Devan Flanders and Du'Plessis Kirifi join Hurricanes captain Ardie Savea in a strong loose forward combination
Hurricanes: 1-Tevita Mafileo, 2-Dane Coles, 3-Tyrel Lomax, 4-James Blackwell, 5-Caleb Delany, 6-Devan Flanders, 7-Du'Plessis Kirifi, 8-Ardie Savea (c), 9-Cam Roigard, 10-Brett Cameron, 11-Kini Naholo, 12-Jordie Barrett, 13-Billy Proctor, 14-Daniel Sinkinson, 15-Josh Moorby
Reserves: 16-Jacob Devery, 17-Pouri Rakete-Stones, 18-Owen Franks, 19-Justin Sangster, 20-Brayden Iose, 21-Jamie Booth, 22-Ruben Love, 23-Bailyn Sullivan
Force v Chiefs
Sunday, June 4, 12am
NIB Stadium, Perth
Coach Clayton McMillan has overhauled the Chiefs' starting XV for their final-round clash with the Force in Perth.
With the No.1 spot secured, courtesy of their win over the Brumbies last weekend, McMillan has taken the opportunity to rest a host of his first and second-choice players against the bottom-dwelling Australians.
Only two players - Alex Nankivell and Etene Nanai-Seturo - from last weekend's run-on side at Canberra will back up against the Western Australians.
"Clearly, we have taken the opportunity this week to freshen up some frontline players, which is purely a strategic decision," said McMillan.
"We have played some incredibly physical games over the last few weeks - along with the travel to and from Perth, and a short turn-around to the quarterfinal, so resting them became a bit of a no-brainer."
Chiefs: 1-Ollie Norris , 2-Tyrone Thompson, 3-John Ryan, 4-Laghlan McWhannell, 5-Tupou Vaa'i, 6-Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 7-Simon Parker, 8-Samipeni Finau, 9-Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 10-Rameka Poihipi, 11-Etene Nanai-Seturo, 12-Anton Lienert-Brown, 13-Alex Nankivell, 14-Liam Coombes-Fabling, 15-Shaun Stevenson
Reserves: 16-Bradley Slater, 17-Jared Proffit, 18-Atunaisa Moli, John Ryan, 19-Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 20-Pita Gus Sowakula, 21-Cortez Ratima, 22-Rivez Reihana, 23-Lalomilo Lalomilo
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