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Savea starts against Bulls

The Hurricanes team to play their first match on South African soil this season, when they meet the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday, shows three changes.

This will be the Canes' second of a three-week run against South African conference sides.

The Canes, who lost to the Stormers in Wellington last week, will face the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein next week, before heading back to New Zealand.

The first of the changes will Ash Dixon making his first Super Rugby start – coming in for the injured Motu Matu'u at hooker.

Tusi Pisi will run out at inside centre and Julian Savea returns to the wing.

The Hurricanes will continue with a five-forwards-two-backs split on the bench this weekend.

The changes include the return of both Reggie Goodes and Jack Lam to the matchday 22, and Tim Bateman on the bench swapping with Pisi.

Hurricanes: 15 Andre Taylor, 14 Alapati Leiua, 13 Conrad Smith (captain), 12 Tusi Pisi, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Karl Lowe, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Jason Eaton, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 2 Ash Dixon, 1 Ben Franks.

Replacements: 16 Reggie Goodes, 17 Ben May, 18 Mark Reddish, 19 Faifili Levave, 20 Jack Lam, 21 Chris Smylie, 22 Tim Bateman.

Date: Saturday, May 4

Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria

Kick-off: 19.10 (17.10 GMT; 05.00 Sunday, May 5 NZ time)

Referee: Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa)

Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Attie Buitendag (South Africa)

TMO: Johan Greeff (South Africa)

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