Fifita to sit out first game
Vaea Fifita will be the Hurricanes’ only available All Black not to feature in their season opener against the Waratahs.
The loose forward suffered a minor hamstring injury when he returned to training in January, putting him behind in his fitness.
Hurricanes coach John Plumtree did not want to risk him at this early stage, meaning he will be sidelined alongside first fiveeighth Beauden Barrett, who is serving one of his All Blacks leave weeks as he returns from his honeymoon.
‘‘He [Fifita] came back from leave and was OK, but he did his hamstring at training, which put him on the back foot,’’ Plumtree said.
‘‘From then on it was catchup for him. He was trying to get the hamstring right, but while you’re doing that you can’t do the conditioning, so that’s why he’s a bit behind the eight ball, and there’s no use putting him out there while he’s like that.’’
Frontline All Blacks Jordie Barrett (fullback), Ngani Laumape (second-five), TJ Perenara (halfback) and Ardie Savea (openside flanker) will all start at Brookvale Oval tomorrow, while hooker Dane Coles has been named on the bench. Perenara will captain the run-on side.
Outside the big names, the most intriguing selections came at lock and first five-eighth.
Former Highlander Fletcher Smith was named to start at 10 after edging Jackson Gardenbachop in their pre-season positional dual.
Garden-bachop did not make the 23, with overseas returnee James Marshall on the bench to cover 10 and fullback.
‘‘That selection was tough for all of us as coaches,’’ Plumtree said. ‘‘Both [Smith and Gardenbachop] worked really hard, we gave them both even time in preseason, but we just felt for this fixture, we’d like to give Fletcher the opportunity.’’
Manawatu’s Liam Mitchell, 23, continues his rise to prominence after being named to start alongside James Blackwell at lock. Mitchell played a season in Spain in 2016 before his provincial debut in 2017. That led to his first Super Rugby contract this season and now his first start.
Isaia Walker-leawere, 21, is the lock cover on the bench, while fellow Wellington youngster Xavier Numia, 20, is there for a potential debut at prop with Toby Smith injured.
The Waratahs named almost all their frontline international players to start, with Kurtley Beale the one fit Wallaby who has been rested. Dual international Karmichael Hunt starts in the midfield with 116-test veteran Adam Ashley-cooper.
Israel Folau will start at fullback, Bernard Foley is back in the drivers’ seat at No 10 and Michael Hooper will captain the side from No 7.
Jordie Barrett, Vince Aso, Matt Proctor, Ngani Laumape, Ben Lam, Fletcher Smith, TJ Perenara, Gareth Evans, Ardie Savea, Reed Prinsep, Liam Mitchell, James Blackwell, Jeff Toomaga-allen, Ricky Riccitelli, Chris Eves. Reserves: Dane Coles, Xavier Numia, Ben May, Isaia Walker-leawere, Du’plessis Kirifi, Finlay Christie, James Marshall, Wes Goosen.
Israel Folau, Alex Newsome, Adam Ashley-cooper, Karmichael Hunt, Curtis Rona, Bernard Foley, Jake Gordon, Jack Dempsey, Michael Hooper (c), Ned Hanigan, Rob Simmons, Jed Holloway, Sekope Kepu, Damien Fitzpatrick, Harry Johnsonholmes. Reserves: Tolu Latu, Rory O’connor, Chris Talakai, Lachlan Swinton, Will Miller, Mitch Short, Mack Mason, Cam Clark.
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