Source: Radio New Zealand
The Highlanders welcome back Caleb Tangitau for their clash at home against the Waratahs. photosport
The scrap for playoff spots is well and truly on.
Super Rugby Pacific enters its 13th round and things are looking very good for New Zealand.
The top four spots are occupied by the Hurricanes, Blues, Chiefs, and Crusaders – with a diet of derbies on the menu in the coming month.
Australian sides which threatened to close the trans-Tasman divide have fallen off badly, the Brumbies in particular a shadow of their early season selves.
After blowing away the defending champions, the Hurricanes declared themselves favourites to break their decade long title drought, and get the chance to rotate their squad against the struggling Moana Pasifika, whose future remains in limbo.
The Chiefs head to Brisbane to meet a resurgent Reds outfit, while the Highlanders stuttering season hangs by a thread as they host the Waratahs in Dunedin.
The match of the round comes under the roof at Te Kaha, where to competition’s biggest rivals go to battle once again.
The Crusaders and Blues have waged some famous wars over thirty seasons, and the bad blood between the sides still runs deep.
Selection notes
The Blues have made the bold call to bench Beauden Barrett for their crucial clash in Christchurch.
Fresh off return from injury, Stephen Perofeta gets the nod at ten, with Dalton Papali’i, Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Bradley Slater all returning to action.
Taking on bottom of the table Moana, the Hurricanes have opted for seven changes, two of which were injury enforced.
The Canes will be without their star playmakers Cam Roigard and Ruben Love, with Ere Enari and Lucas Cashmore handed the reins for Albany. Clark Laidlaw has also switched his front row, while Jone Rova gets a rare start in the midfield with Jordie Barrett rested.
Taha Kemara is out for the Crusaders with Rivez Reihana to get the start at first five and Cooper Grant coming on to the pine.
Jamie Hannah replaces Tahlor Cahill at lock and Sevu Reece returns to the right wing for the red and blacks.
Anton Segner who will play his 50th for the Blues while All Black George Bower brings up a century of games for the Crusaders.
The Highlanders welcome back one of their top strike weapons in Caleb Tangitau, who has been missing due to a nasty knockout against the Blues.
Argentine Tomás Lavanini returns to the second row with livewire halfback Adam Lennox back in the number nine jersey.
Issac Hutchison gets another chance at fullback for the Chiefs, Kyle Brown and Kyren Taumoefolau making for a young and exciting backline.
Manu Samoa midfielder Faletoi Peni earns his first start at home for Moana Pasifika.
Injury ward
Highlanders fullback Finn Hurley is nursing a hamstring complaint and will sit out for at least another three weeks.
The Hurricanes have key players sidelined with Cam Roigard’s calf to keep him out of action for a month, however Ruben Love should be back next week.
The Blues are without some of their big boppers with Ben Ake and Marcel Renata missing, while halfback Taufa Funaki continues to recover from a shoulder injury,
The Chiefs are down a bit of firepower with All Blacks Samipeni Finau, Emoni Narawa and Leroy Carter not travelling to Brisbane.
Moana may have the worst rate of casualties as Jonathan Taumateine, Julian Savea, Lalomilo Lalomilo, Monu Moli, Ngani Laumape, Niko Jones, and Patrick Pellegrini all remain unavailable.
The Crusaders meanwhile eagerly still await the return of Will Jordan.
Key stats
Fehi Fineanganofo needs one more try to equal Ben Lam and Joe Roff’s season try scoring records of 16.
The Waratahs are on a 12-game losing streak in New Zealand.
Beauden Barrett has kicked on 44% of his total receipts, the highest percentage of any player.
Fraser McReight has hit 124 defensive rucks, at least 49 more than any other player in the competition
The Hurricanes have won six of seven against Moana.
Moana Pasifika are on a 10-game losing streak
Crusaders v Blues
Kickoff 7.05pm, Friday, 8 May
One NZ Stadium, Christchurch
Live blog updates on RNZ
Crusaders: 1. George Bower 2. Codie Taylor 3. Fletcher Newell 4. Antonio Shalfoon 5. Jamie Hannah 6. Ethan Blackadder 7. Leicester Fainga’anuku 8. Christian Lio-Willie 9. Noah Hotham 10. Rivez Reihana 11. Macca Springer 12. David Havili (c) 13. Dallas McLeod 14. Sevu Reece 15. Johnny McNicholl.
Bench: George Bell, Jack Sexton, Seb Calder, Tahlor Cahill, Dom Gardiner, Kyle Preston, Cooper Grant, Kurtis Macdonald.
“We need the crowd. If the red and black supporters can come along and be loud, it makes this a really difficult place to play. That’s something our boys feed off,” Crusaders coach Rob Penney said.
Blues: 1. Ofa Tu’ungafasi 2. Bradley Slater 3. Sam Matenga 4. Patrick Tuipulotu (c) 5. Sam Darry 6. Malachi Wrampling 7. Dalton Papali’i 8. Hoskins Sotutu 9. Sam Nock 10. Stephen Perofeta 11. Caleb Clarke 12. Pita Ahki 13. AJ Lam 14. Kade Banks 15. Zarn Sullivan.
Bench: James Mullan, Mason Tupaea, Flyn Yates, Laghlan McWhannell, Anton Segner, Finlay Christie, Beauden Barrett, Xavi Taele.
“They’re a side that prides themselves on their physicality and accuracy, and our focus has been on staying connected to ensure we are at our best for the full 80 minutes,” Blues coach Vern Cotter said.
Reds v Chiefs
Kickoff 9.35pm, Friday, 8 May
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Live blog updates on RNZ
Chiefs : 1. Ollie Norris 2. Tyrone Thompson 3. George Dyer 4. Josh Lord 5. Tupou Vaa’i 6. Simon Parker 7. Luke Jacobson (c) 8. Wallace Sititi 9. Xavier Roe 10. Damian McKenzie 11. Liam Coombes-Fabling 12. Quinn Tupaea 13. Kyle Brown 14. Kyren Taumoefolau 15. Isaac Hutchinson.
Bench: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Jared Proffit, Reuben O’Neill, Fiti Sa, Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Cortez Ratima, Josh Jacomb, Lalakai Foketi.
“They are a difficult opponent. they have a good identity around how they play. It’s going to be a tough battle, in the air, the challenge around the breadown,” Chiefs coach Jonno Gibbs said.
Highlanders v Waratahs
Kickoff 4.35pm, Saturday, 9 May
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Live blog updates on RNZ
Highlanders: 1. Ethan de Groot (co-c) 2. Jack Taylor 3. Angus Ta’avao 4. Tomas Lavanini 5. Mitch Dunshea 6. Te Kamaka Howden 7. Lucas Casey 8. Nikora Broughton 9. Adam Lennox 10. Cameron Millar 11. Jonah Lowe 12. Timoci Tavatavanawai (co-c) 13. Jona Nareki 14. Caleb Tangitau 15. Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens.
Bench: Soane Vikena, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Saula Ma’u, Oliver Haig, Sean Withy, Folau Fakatava, Taine Robinson, Xavier Tito-Harris.
“We’re not looking past the Waratahs, we need to get this perforamnce right, and then we’ll look at the table,” Highlanders coach David Kidwell said.
Moana Pasifika v Hurricanes
Kickoff 7.05pm, Saturday, 9 May
North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
Live blog updates on RNZ
Moana Pasifika: 1. Malakai Hala-Ngatai 2. Millennium Sanerivi 3. Atu Moli 4. Allan Craig 5. Veikoso Poloniati 6. Miracle Faiilagi (c) 7. Semisi Paea 8. Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa 9. Augustine Pulu 10. William Havili 11. Tuna Tuitama 12. Faletoi Peni 13. Solomon Alaimalo 14. Israel Leota 15. Glen Vaihu.
Bench: Mamoru Harada, Abraham Pole, Lolani Faleva, Jimmy Tupou, Sam Tuitupou Ah-Hing, Siaosi Nginingini, Jackson Garden-Bachop, Tevita Latu.
“We don’t want to go out on our backs, we want to make sure we’re walking proud in everything we do. That’s something we talk about a lot,” Moana Pasifika coach Fa’alogo Tana Umaga said.
Hurricanes: 1. Pouri Rakete-Stones 2. Vernon Bason 3. Pasilio Tosi 4. Caleb Delany 5. Isaia Walker-Leawere 6. Brad Shields 7. Du’Plessis Kirifi (c) 8. Brayden Iose 9. Ereatara Enari 10. Lucas Cashmore 11. Fehi Fineanganofo 12. Jone Rova 13. Billy Proctor 14. Josh Moorby 15. Callum Harkin.
Bench: Asafo Aumua, Xavier Numia, Siale Lauaki, Hugo Plummer, Devan Flanders, Jordi Viljoen, Bailyn Sullivan, Kini Naholo.
“Having picked up a few injuries in the Crusaders game, it’s an opportunity for the squad to use its depth, and we expect the boys who are coming in to play well,” Hurricanes coach Clark Laidlaw said.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand