Hurricanes Make 6 Changes to the Starting XV to Face the Blues
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Hurricanes captain Brad Shields returns to the starting XV for his 100th Super Rugby match against the Blues at Westpac Stadium on Saturday night.
Shields became the 14th member of the Hurricanes centurions club when he played against the Highlanders last month having made 99 Super Rugby matches and the dramatic draw against The British and Irish Lions in 2017.
Shields joins Tana Umaga, Rodney So'oialo, Ma'a Nonu, Andrew Hore, Neemia Tialata, Conrad Smith, Jeremy Thrush, Cory Jane, Victor Vito, Julian Savea, Dane Coles, Beauden Barrett and TJ Perenara to have played 100 matches for the club.
His return is one of six changes Hurricanes head coach Chris Boyd has made to the starting side from the line-up that lost to the Brumbies.
First five-eighth Beauden Barrett, who fulfilled the second of his All Black stand-down matches last week, returns while his brother Jordie moves from centre to fullback with Wes Goosen promoted to the No 13 jersey.
There is also a couple of positional changes with Julian Savea moving from the right to the left wing while Nehe Milner-Skudder moves from fullback to the right wing.
Boyd has also made four changes to the pack where lock Vaea Fifita and prop Ben May return along with Shields while the experienced Blade Thomson moves from the reserves into the starting XV.
The Hurricanes squad to face the Blues is:
