'New' Pivot to steer Highlanders against Crusaders
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Highlanders have sprung a playmaking surprise for the Super Rugby Aotearoa season-opener against the Crusaders in Dunedin on Friday.
Mitch Hunt has been named to start at No. 10 ahead of one-test All Blacks pivot Josh Ioane, who is on the bench, while young outside back Connor Garden-Bachop has been handed his first start at this level.
The 21-year-old has been named on the right wing, and will join fullback Solomon Alaimalo, openside flanker Billy Harmon and Irish lock Jack Regan as the debutants in the run-on side.
A further intriguing selection decision comes in the midfield, with Ngatungane Punivai selected at centre in place of the injured Fetuli Paea, who starred for the Highlanders in their pre-season matches against the Crusaders and Hurricanes.
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He joins Patelesio Tomkinson in the midfield, while there are a further two debutants and four capped All Blacks, including Ioane, in the reserves.
Returning loose forward Liam Squire has shaken off a minor injury concern and is primed to make his first Highlanders appearance since 2019 from the bench, with Shannon Frizell and Marino Mikaele-Tu’u winning starting spots.
Squire joins Ioane, Liam Coltman and Bryn Evans as internationally-capped reserves, with the latter in line to make his Highlanders debut alongside Tasman flanker Hugh Renton.
Elsewhere, reserve loosehead prop Josh Hohneck will also mark his long-awaited return to the Highlanders after four seasons playing in England.
Veteran scrumhalf Aaron Smith and experienced hooker Ash Dixon will co-captain the side.
Highlanders: 15 Solomon Alaimalo, 14 Connor Garden-Bachop, 13 Ngatungane Punivai, 12 Patelesio Tomkinson, 11 Jona Nareki, 10 Mitch Hunt, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, 7 Billy Harmon, 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Jack Regan, 4 Josh Dickson, 3 Siate Tokolahi, 2 Ash Dixon, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown.
Replacements: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 Josh Hohneck, 18 Jeff Thwaites, 19 Bryn Evans, 20 Liam Squire, 21 Folau Fakatava, 22 Josh Ioane, 23 Hugh Renton
Date: Friday, February 26
Venue: Forsyth barr Stadium, Dunedin
Kick-off: 19.00 (06.00 GMT)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant referees: Mike Fraser & James Doleman
TMO: Brendon Pickerill
