Damian McKenzie Photo: Jeremy Ward
It's holiday time for the Hurricanes, Highlanders, Reds and Crusaders as Super Rugby Pacific enters its bye rounds. A well-earned break for the table-topping Canes, but you get the feeling the Crusaders would have preferred to keep the ball rolling after their impressive win over the Chiefs last weekend.
The reduced schedule also means it's admittedly slim pickings this weekend, which is something that Super Rugby really needs to look at. Rumours of the Jaguares re-entering the fold might solve this problem by having a one team bye every week, but a lot of water must go under the bridge for that to happen.
Blues v Force
Kickoff: 7.05pm Friday 5 April
Eden Park, Auckland
Cole Forbes of the Blues. Photo: Kenta Harada
The Blues cut loose last weekend against Moana Pasifika, and they have a great chance to keep that momentum going after struggling to rack up the points in their previous two games. Vern Cotter has rolled his squad, with Taufa Funaki and Harry Plummer starting at halfback and first five. Cole Forbes gets his first start at fullback, which is good reward for some solid form off the bench. The Force hopefully have dried off after their rain-soaked loss to the Drua, they are heavy underdogs in this one.
Blues: 15 Cole Forbes, 14 AJ Lam, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Corey Evans, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Harry Plummer, 9 Taufa Funaki, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papali'i (c), 6 Akira Ioane, 5 Laghlan McWhannell, 4 Josh Beehre, 3 Angus Ta'avao, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Ofa Tu'ungafasi
Bench: 16 Soane Vikena, 17 Joshua Fusitu'a, 18 Marcel Renata, 19 Anton Segner, 20 Adrian Choat, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Lucas Cashmore, 23 Caleb Tangitau
Force: 15 Max Burey, 14 Bayley Kuenzle, 13 Sam Spink, 12 Hamish Stewart, 11 Chase Tiatia, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Nic White (c), 8 Reed Prinsep, 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Tim Anstee, 5 Tom Franklin, 4 Sam Carter, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Tom Horton, 1 Ryan Coxon
Bench: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Marley Pearce, 18 Tiaan Tauakipulu, 19 Lopeti Faifua, 20 Will Harris, 21 Ollie Callan, 22 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 23 Henry O'Donnell
Rebels v Fijian Drua
Kickoff: 9.35pm Friday 5 April
AAMI Park, Melbourne
Fijian Drua players defend against the Rebels in Melbourne on Friday. Photo: Fijian Drua
It says quite a bit that this one is probably the most interesting game of the round, mainly because it's one of the Drua's best chances to grab an important away win. They will need at least a couple to avoid a tough away trip come playoff time, ideally a top four finish will remove that worry completely. That's a big ask, and the Rebels won't be in a charitable mood after their win over the Waratahs last weekend.
Rebels: 15 Nick Jooste, 14 Darby Lancaster, 13 Filipo Daugunu, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Glen Vaihu, 10 Carter Gordon, 9 Ryan Louwrens, 8 Tuaina Taii Tualima, 7 Maciu Nabolakasi, 6 Angelo Smith, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Josh Canham, 3 Sam Talakai (c), 2 Jordan Uelese, 1 Matt Gibbon
Bench: 16 Alex Mafi, 17 Isaac Kailea, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Daniel Maiava, 20 Vaiolini Ekuasi, 21 James Tuttle, 22 Matt Proctor, 23 Mason Gordon
Drua: 15 Ilaisa Droasese, 14 Selestino Ravutaumada, 13 Iosefo Masi, 12 Apisalome Vota, 11 Epeli Momo, 10 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 9 Frank Lomani, 8 Meli Derenalagi (c), 7 Kitione Salawa, 6 Vilive Miramira, 5 Leone Rotuisolia, 4 Mesake Vocevoce, 3 Mesake Doge, 2 Tevita Ikanivere, 1 Haereiti Hetet
Bench: 16 Zuriel Togiatama, 17 Livai Natave, 18 Jone Koroiduadua, 19 Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, 20 Elia Canakaivata, 21 Simione Kuruvoli, 22 Waqa Nalaga, 23 Taniela Rakuro
Chiefs v Moana Pasifika
Kickoff: 7.05pm Saturday 6 April
FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
Sione Havili-Talitui Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
This could get ugly really fast for Moana if they play like they have over the last fortnight. After a promising start to the year, they have conceded over 100 points in losses to the Brumbies and Blues, which they need to address promptly or risk this season falling off a cliff already. The Chiefs are coming off a loss to the Crusaders and have brought Damian McKenzie back in at first five, he'll steer round an otherwise rotated backline.
Chiefs: 15 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Daniel Rona, 12 Rameka Poihipi (c), 11 Peniasi Malimali, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 8 Wallace Sititi, 7 Simon Parker, 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Tupou Vaa'i, 4 Jimmy Tupou, 3 Reuben O'Neill, 2 Samisoni Taukei'aho, 1 Ollie Norris
Bench: 16 Bradley Slater, 17 Jared Proffit, 18 Sione Ahio, 19 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20 Kaylum Boshier, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Josh Ioane, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown
Moana Pasifika: 15 Kyren Taumoefolau, 14 Nigel Ah Wong, 13 Fine Inisi, 12 Julian Savea, 11 Viliami Fine, 10 William Havili, 9 Melani Matavao, 8 Semisi Paea, 7 Niko Jones, 6 Irie Papuni, 5 Tom Savage, 4 Ola Tauelangi, 3 Sekope Kepu (c), 2 Sama Malolo, 1 Donald Brighouse
Bench: 16 Samiuela Moli, 17 Abraham Pole, 18 Suetena Asomua, 19 Michael Curry, 20 Miracle Faiilagi, 21 Aisea Halo, 22 Otumaka Mausia, 23 D'Angelo Leuila
Brumbies v Waratahs
Kickoff: 9.35pm Saturday 6 April
GIO Stadium, Canberra
The Brumbies are sitting in joint second place right now, a place they want to stay to ensure a home playoff run. They'll be taking a business as usual approach against a Waratahs team that promised a bit at the start of the season, but have fallen down to 10th and only won one game so far. They were particularly disappointing last weekend in their loss to the Rebels, while the Brumbies dug deep to take out a one-point victory over the Reds.
Brumbies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Ollie Sapsford, 13 Hudson Creighton, 12 Tamati Tua, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Ryan Lonergan, 8 Charlie Cale, 7 Tom Hooper, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Nick Frost, 4 Darcy Swain, 3 Sosefo Kautai, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper
Bench: 16 Connal McInerney, 17 Fred Kahea, 18 Rhys Van Nek, 19 Cadeyrn Neville, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Harrison Goddard, 22 Jack Debreczeni, 23 Declan Meredith
Waratahs: 15 Max Jorgensen, 14 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 13 Joey Walton, 12 Lalakai Foketi, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Tane Edmed, 9 Jake Gordon (c), 8 Hugh Sinclair, 7 Charlie Gamble, 6 Lachlan Swinton, 5 Fergus Lee-Warner, 4 Jed Holloway, 3 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 2 Julian Heaven, 1 Angus Bell
Bench: 16 Theo Fourie, 17 Hayden Thompson-Stringer, 18 Tom Ross, 19 Miles Amatosero, 20 Sione Misiloi, 21 Teddy Wilson, 22 Will Harrison, 23 Izaia Perese