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Blues start their All Blacks

By Online Editors
Thursday 26 Feb 2015
All Blacks Charlie Faumuina and Patrick Tuipulotu will make their first starts of the season for the Blues against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

 

Faumuina has come off the bench in both games this season while Tuipulotu came on for his season debut in the second half of the match last weekend against the Stormers in Capetown.

 

Blues start their All Blacks

Tuipulotu will start in place of Hayden Triggs who received a one-match suspension following his red card against the Stormers.

 

The Blues will start open side loose forwards Brendon O’Connor and Luke Braid, who were both outstanding last weekend, while Steven Luatua, who was replaced after receiving a shoulder injury, will come off the bench as cover for both loose forward and lock.

 

There’s been a reshuffle in the backline with Hamish Northcott moving in to inside centre, Charles Piutau from fullback to outside centre, Melani Nanai, part of the wider training group, making his debut on the right wing and Lolagi Visinia returning to fullback.

 

Added to the bench is replacement Simon Hickey, coming in for Dan Bowden, who has returned home after re-aggravating his foot injury.

 

The match will feature the 100th game for the Blues for inspirational captain Jerome Kaino.

 

Blues: 15 Lolagi Visinia, 14 Melani Nanai, 13 Charles Piutau, 12 Hamish Northcott, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Ihaia West, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Jerome Kaino, 7 Brendon O'Connor, 6 Luke Braid, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu, 4 Josh Bekhuis, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 James Parsons, 1 Tony Woodcock.

Replacements: 16 Matt Moulds, 17 Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 18 Angus Ta'avao, 19 Steven Luatua, 20 Akira Ioane, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Simon Hickey, 23 Francis Saili.

 

Date: Friday, February 27

Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

Kick-off: 19.10 (18.10 GMT; 06.10 NZ Time Saturday, February 28)

Referee: Rohan Hoffmann (Australia)

Assistant referees: Andrew Lees (Australia), Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa)

TMO: Johan Greeff (South Africa)

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