Canes sweating over their skipper
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd has named a largely settled squad for Friday’s highly anticipated Super Rugby quarterfinal against the Chiefs.
Captain Brad Shields has been bracketed in the starting XV.
The coach is allowing him as much time as possible to get over a rib injury he suffered in the league encounter with the Chiefs in Hamilton last week – as the Hurricanes prepare to face the Chiefs for the second straight week.
Meanwhile, popular Hurricanes prop Jeff Toomaga-Allen has been named to start in what will be his 100th Super Rugby match.
Toomaga-Allen, who brought up his 100th match for the franchise last week in Hamilton, will become just the 15th Hurricanes player to reach the milestone.
The 27-year-old made his debut for the Hurricanes in 2012, against the Stormers – alongside long-time teammates Ben May, Thomas Perenara and Shields.
He will be the fourth player this season to reach the mark – after Beauden Barrett, Perenara and Shields.
Gareth Evans will start in the No.7 jersey in place of Sam Henwood.
There are minimal changes in the backline, although Boyd has moved Jordie Barrett to centre to allow the return of crowd favourite and centurion Julian Savea to the starting XV.
Savea will be on the right wing, with Ben Lam on the left – as Nehe Milner-Skudder moves to fullback.
Wes Goosen, who has been recovering from the head knock he suffered last week, has been bracketed on the bench with Jonah Lowe – while the squad has been further strengthened by the return from injury of All Black Vaea Fifita.
Boyd said the squad was delighted to have another opportunity to play in front of their home fans and believed the Hurricanes could deliver a performance good enough to keep their season and title hopes alive.
He has been impressed with the way the squad has prepared in the build-up to the match and could sense the excitement levels growing by the day.
Hurricanes: 15 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 14 Julian Savea, 13 Jordie Barrett, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Ben Lam, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Thomas Perenara, 8 Blade Thomson, 7 Gareth Evans, 6 Brad Shields (captain)/Reed Prinsep, 5 Sam Lousi, 4 Michael Fatialofa, 3 Jeff Toomaga-Allen, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Toby Smith.
Replacements: 16 James O’Reilly, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Ben May, 19 Vaea Fifita, 20 Reed Prinsep/Sam Henwood, 21 Jamie Booth, 22 Ihaia West, 23 Wes Goosen/Jonah Lowe.
Date: Friday, July 20′
Venue: Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 19.35 (07.35 GMT)
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Nick Briant (New Zealand), Paul Williams (New Zealand)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
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