All Blacks big guns Beauden Barrett, Dane Coles and Nehe Milner-Skudder are back in the Hurricanes starting line-up for their second-round Super Rugby match against the Melbourne Rebels.
First five-eighth Barrett and captain-hooker Coles came off the reserve bench in last week’s 83-17 trouncing of the Sunwolves.
They’ll run out in front of their home supporters in place of Otere Black and Ricky Riccitelli respectively, with the Hurricanes having unveiled four starting changes.
Fullback Milner-Skudder missed the Tokyo game completely with a hamstring niggle but is cleared to start on Saturday.
Making his first Super Rugby appearance for a year, eight-Test back Milner-Skudder pushes Jordie Barrett – the younger brother of Beauden – to the reserves bench alongside Black and Riccitelli.
No.8 Blade Thomson, who suffered a dislocated shoulder in Tokyo, is replaced by Canterbury recruit Reed Prinsep, who made his debut off the bench last week.
The severity of Thomson’s injury is still unclear.
Vince Aso is retained on the right wing after receiving a late promotion last week when veteran Cory Jane suffered a neck injury at training.
Coach Chris Boyd says the changes were in effect determined before the competition kicked off.
“Dane and Beauden were always going to come back into the starting team and Nehe would have started round one if he’d been fit, so the selections certainly aren’t form related,” he said.
Boyd said the Hurricanes were ignoring the performance of the Rebels in last week’s 56-18 loss to the Blues in Melbourne.
They were sure it would be a stiffer challenge than what was provided by the under-prepared Sunwolves.
“I think there is a realisation among the group that this week represents a big step up and we are expecting the Rebels to be highly motivated.”
Hurricanes: Nehe Milner-Skudder, Vince Aso, Matt Proctor, Ngani Laumape, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Reed Prinsep, Ardie Savea, Brad Shields, Michael Fatialofa, James Blackwell, Jeffery To’omaga-Allen, Dane Coles (capt), Chris Eves. Reserves: Ricky Riccitelli, Ben May, Mike Kainga, Mark Abbott, Callum Gibbins, Chris Smylie, Otere Black, Jordie Barrett.
