All Blacks back to start in Super Rugby Pacific
- Dave Worsley
- Feb 19
- 4 min read
The second round of Super Rugby Pacific begins on Friday with the Chiefs and Crusaders facing off in Hamilton, before Moana Pasifika meet the Queensland Reds.
On Saturday, the Hurricanes host the Fijian Drua in Napier at 4.35pm.
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The Highlanders and Blues then clash in Dunedin.
Chiefs vs Crusaders, FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton, Friday, 7.05pm
A number of changes by Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan to his side which beat the Blues, with All Blacks Aidan Ross, Emoni Narawa and Tupou Vaa’i among those to join the starting lineup.
Leroy Carter shifts from the right wing to the left, with Etene Nanai-Seturo ruled out due to a hamstring injury.
For the Crusaders, halfback Noah Hotham facing a stint on the sidelines due to an ankle injury, with Kyle Preston – the competition’s leading try scorer after Round 1 – starting at No 9.
That is the only change to Rob Penney’s starting XV from Round 1, with Mitchell Drummond joining the reserves.
CHIEFS: Damian McKenzie, Emoni Narawa, Anton Lienert-Brown, Rameka Poihipi, Leroy Carter, Josh Jacomb, Xavier Roe, Luke Jacobson, Jahrome Brown, Simon Parker, Tupou Vaa’i, Josh Lord, George Dyer, Bradley Slater, Aidan Ross. Reserves: Brodie McAlister, Jared Proffit, Reuben O’Neill, Manaaki Selby-Rickit, Samipeni Finau, Cortez Ratima, Quinn Tupaea, Gideon Wrampling
Crusaders: 1. Tamaiti Williams 2. Ioane Moananu 3. Fletcher Newell 4. Scott Barrett 5. Antonio Shalfoon 6. Cullen Grace 7. Ethan Blackadder 8. Christian Lio-Willie 9. Kyle Preston 10. Taha Kemara 11. Sevu Reece 12. David Havili (c) 13. Levi Aumua 14. Chay Fihaki 15. Will Jordan.
Reserves: 16. Manumaua Letiu 17. George Bower 18. Sam Matenga 19. Tahlor Cahill 20. Corey Kellow 21. Mitchell Drummond 22. James O’Connor 23. Dallas McLeod.
Reds v Moana Pasifika, 9:35pm Friday 21 February, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
An unchanged starting XV will take the field for Moana Pasifika coached byTana Umaga in their clash with the Reds in Brisbane.
The only change to the match-day team comes on the bench, where Manu Samoa representative Losi Filipo wears the No 23 jersey. Ola Tauelangi is the man to make way.
Moana Pasifika: 1. James Lay 2. Millennium Sanerivi 3. Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou 4. Samuel Slade 5. Allan Craig 6. Miracle Faiilagi 7. Sione Havili Talitui 8. Ardie Savea (c) 9. Jonathan Taumateine 10. Jackson Garden-Bachop 11. Kyren Taumoefolau 12. Lalomilo Lalomilo 13. Pepesana Patafilo 14. Solomon Alaimalo 15. William Havili.
Reserves: 16. Sama Malolo 17. Tito Tuipulotu 18. Chris Apoua 19. Tom Savage 20. Semisi Tupou Tailoa 21. Melani Matavao 22. Danny Toala 23. Losi Filipo.
Hurricanes v Drua, 4:35pm Saturday 22 February, McLean Park, Napier
A head injury to lock Isaia Walker-Leawere will see Hugo Plummer start alongside Caleb Delany in the Hurricanes tight five. against the unpredictable Fijian Drua in an otherwise unchanged starting side.
Will Tucker will provide the locking minutes off the bench as the only new face to join the match-day squad.
Hurricanes: 1. Xavier Numia 2. Jacob Devery 3. Tevita Mafileo 4. Caleb Delany 5. Hugo Plummer 6. Brad Shields (cc) 7. Du’Plessis Kirifi (cc) 8. Brayden Iose 9. Cameron Roigard 10. Harry Godfrey 11. Kini Naholo 12. Peter Umaga-Jensen 13. Bailyn Sullivan 14. Fatafehi Fineanganofo 15. Callum Harkin.
Reserves:: 16. Raymond Tuputupu 17. Pouri Rakete-Stones 18. Pasilio Tosi 19. Will Tucker 20. Peter Lakai 21. Ereatara Enari 22. Riley Hohepa 23. Ngatungane Punivai.
Highlanders v Blues, 7:05pm Saturday 22 February, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Both teams are ruing game which they could have won, especially the Highlanders in their last second loss to the Waratahs.
Folau Fakatava returns to the starting lineup for the Highlanders while Sean Withy will move from openside to blindside flanker with Veveni Lasaqa joining the starting XV in the No 7 jersey.
Finn Hurley also joins the starting side at fullback, seeing Sam Gilbert shift to the right wing and Michael Manson out of the match-day squad.
Hoskins Sotutu will be back in the No 8 jersey for the Blues this weekend, seeing Cameron Suafoa shift to blindside flanker and Anton Segner drop out of the match-day squad.
It is one of two changes to the run-on side, with halfback Finlay Christie starting and Taufa Funaki moving back to the bench.
Hooker James Mullan is in-line for his debut off the bench, with lock Josh Beehre also joining the impact squad.
Highlanders: 1. Ethan de Groot 2. Soane Mikaele Vikena 3. Saula Ma’u 4. Fabian Holland 5. Mitch Dunshea 6. Sean Withy 7. Veveni Lasaqa 8. Hugh Renton (cc) 9. Folau Fakatava 10. Taine Robinson 11. Caleb Tangitau 12. Timoci Tavatavanawai (cc) 13. Tanielu Tele’a 14. Sam Gilbert 15. Finn Hurley.
Reserves: 16. Jack Taylor 17. Daniel Lienert-Brown 18. Sefo Kautai 19. Will Stodart 20. Nikora Broughton 21. Nathan Hastie 22. Cameron Millar 23. Lui Naeata.
Blues: 1. Ofa Tu’ungafasi 2. Ricky Riccitelli 3. Marcel Renata 4. Patrick Tuipulotu (c) 5. Laghlan McWhannell 6. Cameron Suafoa 7. Dalton Papali’i 8. Hoskins Sotutu 9. Finlay Christie 10. Harry Plummer 11. Caleb Clarke 12. AJ Lam 13. Rieko Ioane 14. Mark Tele’a 15. Beauden Barrett.
Reserves:: 16. James Mullan 17. Joshua Fusitua 18. Angus Ta’avao 19. Josh Beehre 20. Adrian Choat 21. Taufa Funaki 22. Corey Evans 23. Cole Forbes.