Youthful Blues to face Bulls
Charlie Faumuina returns to form an all-All Black front for the Blues, and provide some experience, against a powerful Bulls selection on Friday.
There's a very youthful look about the Blues team for this Round 14 Super Rugby encounter in Auckland.
The Blues have been hit by injuries, with eight senior players ruled out – including Jerome Kaino, Luke Braid, Bryn Hall, Charles Piutau, Hayden Triggs, Hamish Northcott, Patrick Tuipulotu and Dan Bowden.
While veteran All Black hooker Keven Mealamu adds some additional experience and firepower on the bench, there are a number of young guns looking to make their Super Rugby debuts – lock Will Lloyd, scrumhalf Jamie Booth and midfield back Matt Vaega.
In-form loose forward Akira Ioane will start again, after this week being named in the New Zealand Under-20 team for the Junior World Cup – along with Blues teammates Blake Gibson, Tevita Li and apprentice Isa Tu'ungafasi.
Blues: 15 Lolagi Visinia, 14 Ben Lam, 13 Francis Saili, 12 George Moala, 11 Melani Nanai, 10 Ihaia West, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Steven Luatua (captain), 7 Brendon O'Connor, 6 Akira Ioane, 5 Culum Retallick, 4 Josh Bekhuis, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 James Parsons, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 18 Sam Prattley, 19 Will Lloyd, 20 Blake Gibson, 21 Jimmy Cowan/Jamie Booth, 22 Simon Hickey, 23 Matt Vaega.
Date: Friday, May 15
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 19.35 (09.35 SA time; 07.35 GMT)
Referee: Mike Fraser
Assistant referees: Nick Briant, Aki Aso
TMO: Glenn Newman
