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Super Rugby Pacific round 12: Hurricanes v Moana Pasifika Where: Sky Stadium, Wellington When: 4.35pm, Saturday Coverage: Live on Sky Sport 1, live updates on Stuff
Hurricanes coach Jason Holland insists there is a method to the madness after opting against resting frontline All Blacks Ardie Savea and Jordie Barrett for Saturday’s Super Rugby Pacific clash against the winless Moana Pasfika.
Coming off a shock defeat to Fijian Drua, the fifth-place Hurricanes have named a near full-strength team to play a side they smashed 59-0 earlier in the season as they chase an emphatic win in front of their own supporters at Sky Stadium to boost their top-four aspirations.
That is despite the fact Moana coach Aaron Mauger has made wholesale changes to his team following an agonising one-point defeat to the Blues and will arrive in the capital with an inexperienced lineup.
The Hurricanes have a difficult run in. After hosting Moana, they will round out the regular season with games against top-four teams Chiefs, Blues and Crusaders.
With the All Blacks unable to play more than five games in a row under New Zealand Rugby’s controversial rest policy, Savea and Barrett will need a break at some stage between now and the quarterfinals.
Given Moana’s struggles in 2023, and the fact the Hurricanes beat them so convincingly in their previous meeting, this weekend’s game loomed as the obvious chance to rest two of their best players.
However, as signalled earlier in the week, Holland has included both Savea and Barrett in his starting 15 and instead given some of his other regulars a week off, most notably prop Xavier Numia, halfback Cam Roigard and veteran winger Julian Savea.
With their place in the quarterfinals seemingly assured due to the bloated playoff format, Holland said the plan was to wait another week or two to give Ardie Savea and Barrett a break to ensure they were fresh come playoff time.
After being tipped up by Moana last season, the Hurricanes will be desperate to avoid back-to-back losses.
“There’s a couple of things we’ve been thinking about for a long time now and the big one is making sure our squad is in good shape when we get to the playoffs,” Holland said.
Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
Jordie Barrett will line up for the Hurricanes against Moana Pasifika.
“I think it’s massive that you don’t have guys limp in. As you guys know we’ve got three derbies before the playoffs and to win it you have to play another three derbies, probably.
“You’d hate to limp into a semifinal or a final and I understand we’ve got to get there first but we’ve got to make sure our squad is at the top of their game, so we’ll juggle it and as you see from selection this week there are guys that have played big minutes that aren’t playing.
“We’re wary we have to win and we totally respect Moana and the challenge they bring, but we’ve got to look forward to quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.
“We know what Moana can do on their day and we have massive respect for them. We learnt that in a pretty harsh way last season. Like any Super game, we need to be at our best to win it and that’s all that’s on our mind and we’ll approach the next three weeks after that.”
Hooker Asafo Aumua was in the same boat as Savea and Barrett but an elbow injury suffered earlier against the Drua has ruled him out of the Moana game anyway, making this his All Blacks rest week by default.
With Dane Coles still sidelined with ongoing concussion symptoms, their absences have opened the door for young hooker Jacob Devery to make his starting debut on Saturday.
With only one more regular season game at Sky Stadium to follow after Saturday, Holland said the Hurricanes were determined to secure a home quarterfinal to ensure the retiring Coles would get a proper sendoff at home.
“One more round robin game, but we’re hopeful there will be more than that,” he said.
“We all know what a massive Hurricane he’s been over the years and we’re desperate to send him out on the right note at Sky Stadium.”
Hurricanes: Harry Godfrey, Salesi Rayasi, Billy Proctor, Jordie Barrett, Kini Naholo, Aidan Morgan, Jamie Booth, Ardie Savea (capt), Du’Plessis Kirifi, Devan Flanders, Isaia Walker-Leawere, James Blackwell, Tyrel Lomax, Jacob Devery, Tevita Mafileo. Reserves: Hame Faiva, Pouri Rateke-Stones, Pasilio Tosi, Caleb Delany, Brayden Iose, Logan Henry, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Josh Moorby.
Moana Pasifika: Tomasi Alosio, Tima Fainga’anuku, Danny Toala, Henry Taefu (capt), Anzelo Tuitavuki, Lincoln McClutchie, Jonathan Taumateine; Lotu Inisi, Penitoa Finau, Sione Tu’ipulotu, Mahonri Ngakura, Alex Robbie, Isi Tu’ungafasi, Luteru Tolau, Ezekiel Lindenmuth. Reserves: Joe Royal, Tau Koloamatangi, Chris Apoua, Potu Leavasa, Jonah Mau’u, Manu Paea, D’Angelo Leuila, Lolagi Visinia.
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