{"209":{"title":"Six Nations","uri":"six-nations","id":"108","oid":"209","order":0,"hasData":1},"210":{"title":"Rugby World Cup","uri":"rugby-world-cup","id":"111","oid":"210","order":1,"hasData":1},"3":{"title":"International","uri":"internationals","id":"107","oid":"3","order":3,"hasData":1},"201":{"title":"Gallagher Premiership","uri":"premiership","id":"101","oid":"201","order":4,"hasData":1},"204":{"title":"United Rugby Championship","uri":"united-rugby-championship","id":"138","oid":"204","order":5,"hasData":1},"203":{"title":"TOP 14","uri":"top-14","id":"102","oid":"203","order":6,"hasData":1},"217":{"title":"U20 Six Nations","uri":"u20-six-nations","id":"217","oid":"217","order":7,"hasData":1},"211":{"title":"Pro D2","uri":"pro-d2","id":"119","oid":"211","order":8,"hasData":1},"208":{"title":"Bunnings NPC","uri":"bunnings-npc","id":"105","oid":"208","order":9,"hasData":1},"242":{"title":"Investec Champions Cup","uri":"european-champions-cup","id":"110","oid":"242","order":10,"hasData":1},"243":{"title":"Challenge Cup","uri":"challenge-cup","id":"118","oid":"243","order":11,"hasData":1},"340":{"title":"PWR","uri":"premiership-womens-rugby","id":"127","oid":"340","order":12,"hasData":1},"205":{"title":"Super Rugby Pacific","uri":"super-rugby","id":"104","oid":"205","order":13,"hasData":1},"207":{"title":"Currie Cup","uri":"currie-cup","id":"106","oid":"207","order":14,"hasData":1},"248":{"title":"Women's Six Nations","uri":"womens-six-nations","id":"125","oid":"248","order":16,"hasData":1},"274":{"title":"Women's Internationals","uri":"womens-internationals","id":"274","oid":"274","order":17,"hasData":1},"249":{"title":"Women's Rugby World Cup","uri":"womens-rugby-world-cup","id":"126","oid":"249","order":18,"hasData":1},"365":{"title":"Autumn Nations Series","uri":"autumn-nations-series","id":"124","oid":"365","order":19,"hasData":1},"2000":{"title":"Nations Championship","uri":"nations-championship","id":"2000","oid":"2000","order":20,"hasData":1},"1":{"title":"Rugby Hybrid Friendlies","uri":"rugby-hybrid-friendlies","id":"1","oid":"1","order":21,"hasData":1},"269":{"title":"Rugby Europe Championship","uri":"rugby-europe-championship","id":"269","oid":"269","order":22,"hasData":1},"221":{"title":"British & Irish Lions 2025","uri":"british-irish-lions","id":"113","oid":"221","order":23,"hasData":1},"214":{"title":"The Rugby Championship","uri":"the-rugby-championship","id":"109","oid":"214","order":24,"hasData":1},"141":{"title":"Super Rugby Pacific","uri":"super-rugby-pacific","id":"141","oid":"141","order":25,"hasData":1},"216":{"title":"World Rugby Junior World Championship","uri":"world-rugby-u20-championship","id":"216","oid":"216","order":25,"hasData":1},"219":{"title":"Pacific Nations Cup","uri":"pacific-nations-cup","id":"219","oid":"219","order":26,"hasData":1},"120":{"title":"Pacific Four Series","uri":"pacific-four-series","id":"120","oid":"120","order":27,"hasData":1},"862":{"title":"WXV 1","uri":"wxv-1","id":"862","oid":"862","order":29,"hasData":1},"863":{"title":"WXV 2","uri":"wxv-2","id":"863","oid":"863","order":30,"hasData":1},"864":{"title":"WXV 3","uri":"wxv-3","id":"864","oid":"864","order":31,"hasData":1},"151":{"title":"Major League Rugby","uri":"major-league-rugby","id":"131","oid":"151","order":32,"hasData":1},"116":{"title":"Premiership Cup","uri":"premiership-cup","id":"116","oid":"116","order":34,"hasData":1}}

Lam goes openside

Jack Lam will make his first start at openside flank, following an ACL reconstruction last year.

Lam is one of four changes introduced to the forward pack for the Hurricanes Super Rugby Round 10 match against the Western Force in Wellington on Friday.

The other changes includes Dane Coles, who will return to the starting hooker position this week, Jeremy Thrush is back in the pack after recovering from his lower ankle sprain and Jeffery Toomaga-Allen comes into the tighthead jersey.

The return of Thrush to the Hurricanes line-up has allowed Mark Hammett to rest Jason Eaton after starting all seven matches this season.

TJ Perenara also gets a bit of a break with Chris Smylie given the nod to start at scrumhalf.

"We saw last year we can't rely on each of our players to be available for every match, so we always wanted to be able to give Chris a few more minutes in the starting position at some point," said Hammett.

With Lam's selection, young gun Ardie Savea also gets a week off, with Karl Lowe on the bench.

Hammett added: "When we selected Ardie for his first game we wanted to give him a couple of weeks of game time and then a rest. He is still only 19 and we want to make sure he enjoys a full season of Super Rugby rather than wearing him down early in the year.

"We are lucky we have a lot of experience in our loose forwards to be able to support his development as a Super Rugby player."

On the bench, Reggie Goodes steps in as the back up prop.

Victor Vito (calf) and Ben May (elbow) were unavailable for selection this week due to injury.

This game will be the visitors' first on New Zealand soil this season, a week following their two point win over the Crusaders in Perth.

Hurricanes: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Alapati Leiua, 13 Conrad Smith (captain), 12 Tim Bateman, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Tusi Pisi, 9 Chris Smylie, 8 Faifili Levave, 7 Jack Lam, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Mark Reddish, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Ben Franks.

Replacements: 16 Motu Matu'u, 17 Reggie Goodes, 18 James Broadhurst, 19 Karl Lowe, 20 TJ Perenara, 21 Reynold Lee-Lo, 22 Andre Taylor.

Date: Friday, April 19

Venue: Westpac Stadium, Wellington

Kick-off: 19.35 (07.35 GMT; 15.35 AWST)

Referee: Nick Briant (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: Mike Fraser (New Zealand), Kane McBride (New Zealand)

TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Has Beauden Barrett Just Secured His World Cup Place? | Aotearoa Rugby Pod | Episode 36

KOKO Show | 13 October 2026 | WALLABIES BROUGHT CRASHING BACK TO EARTH! All Blacks Deliver Bledisloe Reality Check!

What Rugby Fans Don't See: Ben O'Keeffe on Life Under Pressure | ARP Extra

What Did the All Blacks’ Big Win Prove? | Episode 35 | Aotearoa Rugby Pod

Canada v England | WXV Global Series

MLR Weekly: New England Owner Errik Anderson re expansion/future, MLR News, College Rugby Corner

Spain v South Africa | WXV Global Series 2026 | Match Highlights

Chile v Hong Kong China | U20 Challenger 2026 | Match Highlights

Belgium v Portugal | U20 Challenger 2026 | Match Highlights

Write A Comment