Super Rugby Pacific: Teams announced for round 11

Two-thirds of the way through their regular seasons, the Super Rugby Pacific sides are eyeing their runs home.

With five rounds remaining before the playoffs, it’s edging closer to make or break time for some of them, in a competition where it looks like five teams are in the running for home quarterfinals, and six others are scrapping for sixth through eighth.

The Highlanders are most certainly in that latter bracket, but, desperate to bounce back from an 0-2 trip across the Tasman, they face the might of the table-topping, unbeaten Chiefs in Dunedin on Friday night.

That is the Kiwi derby for the weekend, though Saturday afternoon footy in Suva should make for interesting viewing, too, when the desperate Fijian Drua (11th) do battle with the Hurricanes (third).

Here are the first lineups for the week, before the teams playing on Saturday are confirmed on Thursday.

Highlanders v Chiefs

Friday, 7.05pm, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

Just as one All Black returns from the casualty ward, the Chiefs have lost another to injury.

Anton Lienert-Brown is finally back from the high ankle sprain suffered in the season-opener against the Crusaders in Christchurch and slots back in at second-five against the Highlanders in Dunedin, in what will be his 100th match for the club, though Brodie Retallick will miss the clash due to a groin strain.

Coach Clayton McMillan said Retallick sustained the injury in the final five minutes of the win over the Crusaders in Hamilton last Saturday, though played through it as the team had exhausted all of their reserves. He said his 100-test second-rower could possibly also miss next Friday’s match against the Reds in New Plymouth.

Naitoa Ah Kuoi is promoted from the bench in Retallick’s place, in one of two changes to the starting pack from last week. The other is at blindside flanker, where Samipeni Finau has been spelled, and Pita Gus Sowakula promoted.

There are also two tweaks to the backline, with Lienert-Brown taking the spot of Rameka Poihipi, and Etene Nanai-Seturo rested, which sees Peniasi Malimali handed his first start of the season, on the left wing.

In the reserves, hooker Bradley Slater comes in for Tyrone Thompson, Josh Lord and Kaylum Boshier return, while Alex Nankivell has recovered from the concussion sustained against the Waratahs in round five.

Chiefs: Shaun Stevenson, Emoni Narawa, Daniel Rona, Anton Lienert-Brown, Peniasi Malimali, Damian McKenzie, Brad Weber (co-capt), Luke Jacobson, Sam Cane (co-capt), Pita Gus Sowakula, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Tupou Vaa’i, George Dyer, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Aidan Ross. Reserves: Bradley Slater, Ollie Norris, John Ryan, Josh Lord, Kaylum Boshier, Cortez Ratima, Bryn Gatland, Alex Nankivell.

The Highlanders have dropped Mitch Hunt from the No 10 jersey after two losses in Australia, handing the keys to the attack to Freddie Burns.

Burns will lead a backline with Thomas Umaga-Jensen restored at No 12, while Scott Gregory gets another start on the left wing. Jona Nareki is on the bench.

Up front, Marino Mikaele-Tu’u misses out on the 23 entirely, as does lock Pari Pari Parkinson.

Hugh Renton retains the No 8 jersey, while Josh Dickson makes his return via the bench.

Highlanders: Sam Gilbert, Connor Garden-Bachop, Fetuli Paea, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Scott Gregory, Freddie Burns, Aaron Smith, Hugh Renton, Billy Harmon (capt), Shannon Frizell, Will Tucker, Fabian Holland, Jermaine Ainsley, Andrew Makalio, Ethan de Groot. Reserves: Rhys Marshall, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Saula Ma’u, Josh Dickson, Sean Withy, Folau Fakatava, Mitch Hunt, Jona Nareki.

Fijian Drua v Hurricanes

Saturday, 2.05pm, HFC Bank Stadium, Suva

Hurricanes lock Justin Sangster has been rushed into the starting 15 for Saturday’s clash with the Fijian Drua in Suva after shaking off a thumb injury he sustained in pre-season.

Sangster’s return is one of just three changes to the starting 15 following last week’s win over the Brumbies, and it could not have come at a better time

.With other second rowers Dom Bird (illness), James Blackwell (concussion) and Caleb Delany (concussion) ruled out, the Hurricanes have been forced to name just two specialist locks in their match-day 23.

Sangster will partner milestone man Isaia Walker-Leawere in a new-look second row with TK Howden, who is primarily a loose forward, providing cover from the bench.

Sangster was due to make his comeback via club rugby in Bay of Plenty last weekend after missing the previous nine games, but he was kept on ice after Blackwell and Delany took heavy knocks to the head early in the win over the Brumbies. The pair have been given an automatic 12-day stand down.

Walker-Leawere, the son of former Fijian international Kele Leawere, will bring up 50 Super Rugby games for the Hurricanes against the Drua and he will get to celebrate the occasion in front of some of his extended family.

The other two changes have come in the back line. Centre Billy Proctor replaces Peter Umaga-Jensen after recovering from a shoulder injury and Fijian-born winger Kini Naholo swaps in for Salesi Rayasi on the left wing.

Fijian Drua: TBA Thursday

Hurricanes: Josh Moorby, Julian Savea, Billy Proctor, Jordie Barrett, Kini Naholo, Aidan Morgan, Cam Roigard, Ardie Savea (capt), Du’Plessis Kirifi, Devan Flanders, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Justin Sangster, Tyrel Lomax, Asafo Aumua, Xavier Numia. Reserves: Jacob Devery, Tevita Mafileo, Owen Franks, TK Howden, Brayden Iose, Jamie Booth, Harry Godfrey, Salesi Rayasi.

Crusaders v Force

Saturday, 4.35pm, Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch

He’s back.

Will Jordan has been named at fullback for the Crusaders’ home match against the Western Force in Christchurch on Saturday afternoon.

Sidelined with a lingering migraine-related illness, the 25-year-old hasn’t played since the final fixture of last year’s Rugby Championship, against the Wallabies at Eden Park on September 24.

Jordan was set to return against the Rebels a fortnight ago, only for a setback to push out his return to play further.

It makes for an all Tasman Mako back-three against the Force, with Leicester Fainga’anuku and Macca Springer named on the wing.

Lock Sam Whitelock will sit out the match as a precaution, after taking a knock to his Achilles last week against the Chiefs, while halfback Willi Heinz (calf) is also out.

Crusaders: Will Jordan, Macca Springer, Braydon Ennor, David Havili, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Richie Mo’unga, Noah Hotham, Cullen Grace, Tom Christie, Dom Gardiner, Quinten Strange, Scott Barrett (capt), Tamaiti Williams, Brodie McAlister, Joe Moody. Reserves: Codie Taylor, Seb Calder, Oli Jager, Zach Gallagher, Christian Lio-Willie, Mitchell Drummond, Fergus Burke, Jack Goodhue.

Force: TBA Thursday

Blues v Moana Pasifika

Saturday, 7.05pm, Eden Park, Auckland

All Blacks centurion Beauden Barrett gets his first start for the Blues season at fullback, while Roger Tuivasa-Sheck returns from his hand fracture at No 12 as Leon MacDonald shuffles his backline for Saturday’s clash against their crosstown mates.

There is also a first start since the season opener for Akira Ioane at No 6 as the Blues look to take their Super Rugby Pacific win streak to four against the winless outfit from Mount Smart.

All told there are seven personnel changes and three positional switches from last week’s hard-fought 30-14 victory over the Drua in Lautoka.

As well as Barrett flipping to fullback (with Zarn Sullivan getting the round off), Harry Plummer shifts in a spot to first five and lock Cameron Suafoa switches to No 8, with Hoskins Sotutu out with illness.AJ Lam gets the start on the right wing, with international Mark Telea on his national rest, Bryce Heem comes in at centre, with Rieko Ioane dropping to the bench, Tuivasa-Sheck slots in at 12 and Taufa Funaki runs out at halfback with Fin Christie covering off the pine.

Up front James Tucker slots into the second row (Patrick Tuipulotu gets another week to rest his knee), Ioane brings his X-factor to the loose and Kurt Eklund gets the nod at hooker, with Soane Vikena on a bench that should provide quality impact courtesy of, among others, Tom Robinson, Anton Segner, Christie and Ioane.

Barrett’s selection at fullback is notable. The 31-year-old, 112-test playmaker has been used on and off at No 15 by Ian Foster during his time in charge, and with Richie Mo’unga and Damian McKenzie also contending strongly for the World Cup first five role, the All Blacks coach will be keen to reassess Barrett’s form at the back.

MacDonald has also been smart with his selections. With a pivotal clash against the Crusaders looming next, and the Blues keen to continue to build on the momentum of their three-match win streak, the coach has eased the workload for some key figures, brought back some fresher types for starts, and still sends out a lineup that looks well capable of putting their big-city rivals to the sword.

Blues: Beauden Barrett, AJ Lam, Bryce Heem, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Caleb Clarke, Harry Plummer, Taufa Funaki; Cameron Suafoa, Dalton Papalii (capt), Akira Ioane, Sam Darry, James Tucker, Marcel Renata, Kurt Eklund, Ofa Tuungafasi. Reserves: Soane Vikena, Joshua Fusitu’a, James Lay, Tom Robinson, Anton Segner, Finlay Christie, Rieko Ioane, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens.

Moana Pasifika: TBA Thursday