The Hurricanes have named their side to take on the Melbourne Rebels at Super Round Melbourne this Friday at 10:10pm NZT.
Super Round Melbourne will feature all 12 Super Rugby Pacific teams competing in a 3-day, 6-match trans-Tasman rivalry.
The team sees just three changes to the run-on team that beat the Reds in a last weekend's 13-47 victory in Townsville.
In the front row, All Black Tyrel Lomax comes in at tighthead, lining up with last week’s starters, Xavier Numia and Dane Coles.
In the loose forwards, Manawatū Turbos captain, Brayden Iose, comes in at blindside, replacing the injured Devan Flanders. Joining him is Wellington captain, Du’Plessis Kirifi at openside, with talented teen Peter Lakai providing impact from the bench.
"We were really happy with how Pete [Lakai] went last week.
“We're really happy with his performance. He’ll have a different role off the bench this weekend, and the beauty of having hardly anything between these guys, in certain positions, is that we've got every confidence in them to get the job done.
“Dupes [Du’Plessis Kirifi] is a quality player and we’ve created a lot of competition in that space. Dupes get his chance to start this week, Pete had a chance to start last week, and they just know that they've got to front week to week to get the jersey the next week,” said Holland.
Riley Higgins, the only new addition to this week’s 23, will look to make his first run of the season off the bench.
Tickets for Super Round Melbourne, presented by Fiji Airways, are available from premier.ticketek.com.au.
Following the match, the team returns home to face the Blues in a doubleheader with the Hurricanes Poua at Sky Stadium on March 11. Tickets available at https://www.hurricanes.co.nz/
Hurricanes team to take on the Rebels:
1 Xavier Numia
2 Dane Coles
3 Tyrel Lomax
4 James Blackwell
5 Isaia Walker-Leawere
6 Brayden Iose
7 Du’Plessis Kirifi
8 Ardie Savea ©
9 Cameron Roigard
10 Aidan Morgan
11 Salesi Rayasi
12 Jordie Barrett
13 Billy Proctor
14 Julian Savea
15 Josh Moorby
Reserves
16 Asafo Aumua
17 Tevita Mafileo
18 Owen Franks
19 Caleb Delany
20 Peter Lakai
21 Jamie Booth
22 Riley Higgins
23 Harry Godfrey
Unavailable for selection: Ruben Love, Bailyn Sullivan, Daniel Sinkinson, Tyler Laubscher, Reed Prinsep, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Dan Sinkinson, Justin Sangster, Brett Cameron, TJ Perenara, Jacob Devery, Devan Flanders.