Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph has made four changes to his side for a formidable\u00a0challenge on Friday night.<\/p>\n
The newcomers will all need to make an impact if the Highlanders are to beat the Blues at Eden Park for the first time since 2018.<\/p>\n
That would not only keep Joseph\u2019s side in the playoff hunt but would return a special piece of silverware \u2014 the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy \u2014 to the cabinet in Dunedin.<\/p>\n
Experienced flanker Sean Withy should be primed for a big performance.<\/p>\n
Withy has had to be content with a place on the bench in the past two games but he is restored to the starting XV for his 50th game for the Highlanders.<\/p>\n
The hard-working Southlander started four of the first five games on the openside flank but is possibly a nicer fit in the No 6 jersey and opposite the more mobile Veveni Lasaqa.<\/p>\n
Withy\u2019s selection pushes the taller TK Howden, one of the Highlanders\u2019 most consistent\u00a0performers in recent weeks, to lock, replacing Oliver Haig.<\/p>\n
Pumas lock Tomas Lavanini remains sidelined for another week with an injured finger.<\/p>\n
Nikora Broughton starts again at No 8 with Lucas Casey restored to the bench and co-captain Hugh Renton missing altogether after getting 22min in the 14-9 loss to the Brumbies last Friday.<\/p>\n
There are two changes to the backline.<\/p>\n
Tanielu Tele\u2019a earns a third start of the season as in-form centre Jonah Lowe has a minor calf injury.<\/p>\n
Rookie halfback Nic Shearer drops out after starting the past two games, and Adam Lennox starts for the second time this season.<\/p>\n
Taine Robinson remains at fullback after a solid comeback against the Brumbies.<\/p>\n
There is a touch of excitement about the bench with the additions of Finn Hurley and Xavier Tito-Harris.<\/p>\n
Hurley is back in Super Rugby action after most of his 2025 rugby year was wrecked by injury, while the promising Tito-Harris gets to make a Super Rugby debut in his home city.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Highlanders team<\/p>\n
Taine Robinson, Caleb Tangitau, Tanielu Tele\u2019a, Timoci Tavatavanawai (co-captain), Jona Nareki, Cameron Millar, Adam Lennox, Nikora Broughton, Veveni Lasaqa, Sean\u00a0Withy, Mitch Dunshea, TK Howden, Angus Ta\u2019avao, Jack Taylor, Ethan de Groot (co-captain). Reserves: Soane Vikena, Josh Bartlett, Saula Ma\u2019u, Oliver Haig, Lucas Casey, Folau Fakatava, Xavier Tito-Harris, Finn Hurley.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph has made four changes to his side for a formidable\u00a0challenge on Friday night. The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":380653,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[111,139,69,213],"class_list":["post-380652","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/380652","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=380652"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/380652\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/380653"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=380652"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=380652"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=380652"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}