Aisle be Back: Hurricanes v Blues in Auckland

Milestones for Cory Jane (as a player/coach) and Caleb Delany in Auckland this weekend.

• By Kevin McCarthy

I feel like I’m flying blind on the Hurricanes’ journey north to Eden Park.

It’s of course crucial, but everything is crucial now. This does however feel like the one to nail in the three remaining matches for the Canes to hopefully top the table.

The Blues only have two, not three bullets, in their chamber, and their last chance if they fall on Saturday will be away against the Chiefs in the last round.

They sit third on the table, and with a six point buffer back to the fourth-placed Crusaders. In other words, a better hand but one that could still be played badly.

I keep looking at that third placing for the Blues and thinking they surely aren’t the third best side in the comp. Solid, won’t embarrass your mother, but a bit dull.

Yet there they are, and the Hurricanes would be foolish to think they are in for another 20-plus point margin that the achieved at home in early April.

Josh Moorby scored four last week, but of course, Kini Naholo is in on one wing, and Fehi Feneanganofo on the other to have another crack at the season try-scoring record.

If he can hit it in this game – how easy that sounds! – then a week off next week might be welcome.

And Ruben Love versus Beauden Barrett will be an interesting clash – the master, and the apprentice doesn’t quite capture it.

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No Richie, no Brodie. I feel cheated they won’t be boarding the Greatest Trek or the Longest Laager (that’s not a misspelling of beer by the way).

Instead, in a week of disclosures, it appears Richie Mo’unga could have committed further to NZ Rugby, but didn’t. And Brodie Retallick is clearly over travelling and staying in hotels.

As for other off-field concerns, it seems there may still be life flickering in the Moana Pasifika story. Watch this space.

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I have separation anxiety. No. not the kind that afflicts, say, your dog when you go to work.

Mine is in my small super rugby fantasy group.

I’ve been second for just about every round. Sometimes 150 points back, sometimes fifty points back.

Now with just three rounds to go in regular season, it’s about seventy points, which is nothing. Indeed, if Kini Naholo had not gone on an off-the-bench rampage last weekend, the gap would be nothing.

Since there are obvious must-picks, and people that you likely should pick, then all things being equal, our rival selections may well cancel out.

So, I need to pick players within reason that they won’t select, and hope the run of scoring tilts my way.  Of course, if it backfires, then I will fall behind.

However,  they may also run a separation strategy. In which case I should NOT run one.

This is double cross territory. Thank you for not caring about this.

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Caleb Delany is set to play at lock his 50th Hurricanes match against the Blues.

Delany retains his place in an overhauled tight five that features the return of loosehead prop Xavier Numia and hooker Asafo Aumua in the front row. They start alongside tighthead prop Pasilio Tosi.

Warner Dearns is also included to partner Delany at lock, while further changes in the loose forwards see Peter Lakai named at openside flanker and Devan Flanders picked at No 8. Brad Shields keep his place at blindside flanker.

In the backline, a new-look halves partnership sees halfback Ereatara Enari link up with first-five Ruben Love – back from a minor ankle injury – in a starting capacity for the first time.

Jordie Barrett resumes his captaincy role upon his return at second-five, renewing his midfield combination with centre and vice-captain Billy Proctor.

After last week’s two-try comeback following his year-long injury layoff, Kini Naholo is promoted to the starting side at left wing. That forces an outside back reshuffle that shifts Fehi Fineanganofo to the right wing, while Callum Harkin remains at fullback.

Loosehead prop Pouri Rakete-Stones, lock Isaia Walker-Leawere, loose forward Brayden Iose, and midfielder Jone Rova join hooker Raymond Tuputupu, tighthead prop Siale Lauaki, halfback Jordi Viljoen, and utility back Bailyn Sullivan on the bench.

The match also represents a significant milestone for assistant coach Cory Jane, who becomes the first person to both play and coach 100 Super Rugby matches for the Hurricanes.

Kick-off for Saturday’s match in Auckland is scheduled for 7:05pm.

HURRICANES TEAM TO PLAY THE BLUES (Hurricanes caps in brackets)

1. Xavier Numia (87)
2. Asafo Aumua (85)
3. Pasilio Tosi (48)
4. Caleb Delany (50th match)
5. Warner Dearns (10)
6. Brad Shields (138)
7. Peter Lakai (46)
8. Devan Flanders (67)
9. Ereatara Enari (22)
10. Ruben Love (50)
11. Kini Naholo (33)
12. Jordie Barrett (121) – captain
13. Billy Proctor (78)
14. Fehi Fineanganofo (23)
15. Callum Harkin (20)
16. Raymond Tuputupu (21)
17. Pouri Rakete-Stones (57)
18. Siale Lauaki (13)
19. Isaia Walker-Leawere (87)
20. Brayden Iose (62)
21. Jordi Viljoen (7)
22. Jone Rova (10)
23. Bailyn Sullivan (47)

UNAVAILABLE FOR SELECTION

Tyrel Lomax (ankle): 2 weeks
Taine Roiri (hamstring): 1 week
Du’Plessis Kirifi (knee): 1 week
Arese Poliko (concussion): 1 week
Cam Roigard (calf): 2-3 weeks
Brett Cameron (knee): Expected to miss season
Harry Godfrey (knee): Expected to miss season
Riley Higgins (shoulder): TBC