All the action from the Super Rugby round seven clash, from North Harbour Stadium.<\/p>\n
All you need to know<\/p>\n
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph is hoping to see some spark from his side as they prepare to face Moana Pasifika in Auckland.<\/p>\n
Coming off a 50-7 drubbing at the hands of the Hurricanes, Joseph has resisted the temptation to overhaul his squad, making minimal changes, although co-captain Timoci Tavatavanawai has dropped to the bench, Folau Fakatava misses out altogether and Nic Shearer has been named for his Super Rugby debut.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was such an indifferent performance from the previous games we\u2019ve played,\u201d Joseph said.<\/p>\n
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThe most important thing now is just getting things right as well as we can. There\u2019s been injuries, there\u2019s been some form, but it\u2019s our ninth game in a row, so there\u2019s also lacking a bit of spark, so we\u2019ve got to get that back.<\/p>\n \u201cMoana is a tough physical side, very big men, very different to the fast game that the Hurricanes play. So each game that we play each week has different kinds of challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n Joseph admits two-test All Black Fakatava hasn\u2019t been performing to the high standards he knows he\u2019s capable of.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes that is just because there\u2019s a lot of pressure that he feels he\u2019s been put under from the opposition that he\u2019s playing against,\u201d Joseph said. \u201cBut a break away from the game, I think, will do wonders for Folau.\u201d<\/p>\n For Moana, they welcome back veteran duo Jackson Garden-Bachop and Solomon Alaimalo to the starting side while prop Paula Latu is in line to make his debut off the bench.<\/p>\n Julian Savea is back in the casualty ward after a shoulder injury sustained against the Crusaders in the opening minutes of their clash.<\/p>\n Moana Pasifika claimed their first win over the Highlanders in six attempts when the two sides last met.<\/p>\n Moana Pasifika:1.Abraham Pole, 2. Millennium Sanerivi, 3. Feleti Sae-Ta\u2019ufo\u2019ou, 4. Veikoso Poloniati, 5. Allan Craig, 6. Miracle Faiilagi (c), 7. Niko Jones, 8. Dominic Ropeti, 9. Joel Lam, 10. Jackson Garden-Bachop, 11. Glen Vaihu, 12. Lalomilo Lalomilo, 13. Tevita Latu, 14. Solomon Alaimalo, 15. William Havili.<\/p>\n