Canes wait on Coles

Hurricanes captain Dane Coles will be given until Saturday to prove his fitness for their Super Rugby semi-final against the Chiefs in Wellington.

Coles has been bracketed at hooker with Ricky Riccitelli in an otherwise unchanged Hurricanes team from the one which beat the Sharks 41-0 in last weekend's quarter-final.

Riccitelli has been bracketed with New Zealand U20 hooker Leni Apisai, who will come into the squad if Coles does not recover in time from the rib injury he suffered against the Sharks.

Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd said Coles would be given every opportunity to prove his fitness for the semi-final.

'Colesy is doing everything he can to get himself fit in time for kick-off, but at the end of the day we just won't know until a little closer to kick-off. We are hopeful he'll make it to the start line, but if he doesn't we have every confidence in Ricky and Leni to do the job for us as they have done all year.'

Hurricanes – 15 James Marshall, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Matt Proctor, 12 Willis Halaholo, 11 Jason Woodward, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Michael Fatialofa, 4 Vaea Fifita, 3 Ben May, 2 Dane Coles (c)/Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Loni Uhila.
Subs: 16 Ricky Riccitelli/Leni Apisai, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Mike Kainga, 19 Mark Abbott, 20 Callum Gibbins, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Vince Aso, 23 Julian Savea.

Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

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