How the Kiwi teams line up for the Super Round

All 12 Super Rugby Pacific teams will be in Melbourne for Super Round this weekend, in what is likely to be the last time the AFLmad Victorian capital hosts the concept.

Round 2 starts with the only Kiwi derby of the weekend, when the Highlanders play the Blues in what is nominally a home game for the southerners.

The game of the round is the Chiefs against the Brumbies, a rematch of last year’s semifinal in Hamilton, won 19-6 by the Chiefs.

Tomorrow, 8pm NZT at AAMI Park, Melbourne

The Highlanders are unsurprisingly little changed from their 35-21 win against Moana Pasifika last Saturday, although All Black Ethan de Groot comes straight back into the No 1 jersey.

Promising No 10 Ajay Faleafaga is poised for a debut off the bench, replacing Cam Millar in the match-day 23, while lock Fabian Holland is also rotated to the reserves after a big 80 minutes against Moana Pasifika.

Highlanders: Jacob RatumaitavukiKneepkens, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Tanielu Tele’a, Sam Gilbert (vice capt), Jona Nareki, Rhys Patchell, Folau Fakatava; Hugh Renton, Billy Harmon (capt), Sean Withy, Max Hicks, Pari Pari Parkinson, Jermaine Ainsley, Ethan de Groot, Henry Bell. Reserves: Ricky Jackson, Daniel LienertBrown, Saula Ma’u, Fabian Holland, Nikora Broughton, Nathan Hastie, Ajay Faleafaga, Jonah Lowe.

For the Blues, fit-again senior forwards Ofa Tu’ungafasi (knee) and Akira Ioane (calf) are among the seven new starters this week as they come off the injury list. All Blacks prop Tu’ungafasi forms an allnew front row alongside Marcel Renata and Ricky Riccitelli, while Ioane lines up in a familiar loose trio with skipper Dalton Papali’i and in-form No 8 Hoskins Sotutu.

Cotter has chosen to hand All Blacks Rieko Ioane and Fin Christie their load management rests this week (though Ioane did come off the field in Whangarei with a slight hamstring tweak).

Blues: Zarn Sullivan, Mark Tele’a, AJ Lam, Bryce Heem, Caleb Clarke, Stephen Perofeta, Taufa Funaki; Hoskins Sotutu, Dalton Papali’i (capt), Akira Ioane, Sam Darry, Laghlan McWhannell, Marcel Renata, Ricky Riccitelli, Ofa Tu’ungafasi. Reserves: Soane Vikena, Joshua Fusitu’a, Angus Ta’avao, Josh Beehre, Adrian Choat, Sam Nock, Harry Plummer, Cole Forbes.

Saturday, 9.35pm at AAMI Park, Melbourne

Crusaders coach Rob Penney must be licking his chops at the chance to take the Waratahs down a peg, given they sacked him in 2021.

The Crusaders have been forced to make a couple of changes because of injury. All Blacks tighthead prop Tamaiti Williams and young No 10 Rivez Reihana have been ruled out because of hamstring and shoulder injuries.

Crusaders: Chay Fihaki, Sevu Reece, Levi Aumua, David Havili, Macca Springer, Taha Kemara, Noah Hotham, Cullen Grace, Tom Christie, Dominic Gardiner, Quinten Strange, Scott Barrett (captain), Fletcher Newell, George Bell, George Bower. Reserves: Quentin MacDonald, Joe Moody, Owen Franks, Jamie Hannah, Christian Lio-Willie, Mitchell Drummond, Ryan Crotty, Dallas McLeod.

Sunday, 4pm at AAMI Park, Melbourne

Star first-five Damian McKenzie will take his place against the Brumbies in what is a largely unchanged Chiefs side from the one which beat the Crusaders in the seasonopener.

There is one enforced change to the backline, with fellow All Black Quinn Tupaea out after the concussion sustained last Friday night, replaced at second-five by vice-captain Rameka Poihipi. In the pack, Manaaki Selby-Rickit comes in to start at lock.

Chiefs:

Shaun Stevenson, Liam Coombes-Fabling, Anton Lienert-Brown, Rameka Poihipi, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Damian McKenzie, Xavier Roe, Luke Jacobson (capt), Kaylum Boshier, Samipeni Finau, Tupou Vaa’i, Manaaki Selby-Rickit, George Dyer, Bradley Slater, Ollie Norris.

Reserves: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Jared Proffit, Reuben O’Neill, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Simon Parker, Cortez Ratima, Josh Ioane, Daniel Rona.

Sunday, 6.30pm at AAMI Park, Melbourne

The Hurricanes are battling loose forward injuries. Already without Ardie Savea while he plays a season in Japan, and new captain Brad Shields (foot) out for another week, the Canes, on the back of a fine first-up win over the Force in Perth, have now got both Du’Plessis Kirifi (ankle) and Devan Flanders (shoulder) in the casualty ward for three to four weeks.

Coach Clark Laidlaw has been forced into a back-row reshuffle, with Peter Lakai moving from No 8 to take Kirifi’s spot at openside flanker, Brayden Iose promoted from the bench to the back of the scrum, TK Howden injected to replace Flanders at blindside, and 21-year-old Bay of Plenty rep Veveni Lasaqa brought on to the bench for a potential Super debut.

Hurricanes: Ruben Love, Josh Moorby, Billy Proctor, Jordie Barrett (co-capt), Kini Naholo, Brett Cameron, Cam Roigard, Brayden Iose, Peter Lakai, TK Howden, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Caleb Delany, Tyrel Lomax, Asafo Aumua (co-capt), Xavier Numia. Reserves: James O’Reilly, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Pasilio Tosi, Justin Sangster, Veveni Lasaqa, Jordi Viljoen, Riley Higgins, Salesi Rayasi.