Savea returns for Canes

Julian Savea will earn his 100th Super Rugby cap after he was recalled to the Hurricanes’ starting XV for Friday’s match against the Chiefs in Wellington.

Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd has made six changes to the team that beat the Force in Perth last weekend.

In the backline, Savea and fellow All Blacks wing Nehe Milner-Skudder are back in the run-on XV ahead of Ben Lam and Cory Jane. Savea will become the 10th player to reach 100 caps for the Hurricanes.

The other four changes are in the pack, where Ardie Savea returns at the back of the scrum, while Boyd also selected an all-new front row, with props Jeff Toomaga-Allen and Chris Eves and hooker Leni Apisai all starting.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs have made three changes to their team. Lock Michael Allardice replaces the injured Brodie Retallick, and in the backline Charlie Ngatai and Solomon Alaimalo start in the midfield and on the wing respectively.

Hurricanes – 15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 13 Vince Aso, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara (c), 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Callum Gibbins, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Vaea Fifita, 4 Sam Lousi, 3 Jeff To’omaga-Allen, 2 Leni Apisai, 1 Chris Eves.
Subs: 16 Ricky Riccitelli /James O’Reilly, 17 Loni Uhila, 18 Mike Kainga, 19 Mark Abbott, 20 Reed Prinsep, 21 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22 Matt Proctor, 23 Wes Goosen.

Chiefs – 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Solomon Alaimalo, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Charlie Ngatai, 11 James Lowe, 10 Aaron Cruden (cc), 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Liam Messam, 7 Sam Cane (cc), 6 Mitchell Brown, 5 Michael Allardice, 4 Dominic Bird, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Nathan Harris, 1 Kane Hames.
Subs: 16 Liam Polwart, 17 Siegfried Fisi'ihoi, 18 Atu Moli, 19 Tom Sanders, 20 Lachlan Boshier, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Alex Nankivell, 23 Shaun Stevenson.

Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

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