Super Rugby round five teams: James O’Connor ruled out of Reds side with leg injury
JAMES O’Connor won’t line up against the Brumbies on Saturday after succumbing to a leg injury, while Dan Carter has been named at inside centre for the Crusaders.
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QUEENSLAND Reds recruit James O’Connor won’t line up against the Brumbies on Saturday after succumbing to a leg injury
All Blacks great Dan Carter has been named at inside centre for the Crusaders in their XV to take on the Lions.
The teams for Super rugby round five are rolling in and we’ve got them all here.
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HURRICANES v BLUES at FMG Stadium.
Friday, 5:35pm AEDT, LIVE ON FOX SPORTS 2HD
Bottom of the table and desperately searching for a first win of 2014, things are only set to get tougher for the Blues this weekend after club legend Jerome Kaino was ruled out of Friday night’s clash against the Hurricanes.
Kaino suffered a concussion in last weekend’s 13-10 loss to the Lions and not sufficiently recovered, forcing a back row reshuffle. Steven Luatua moves to number eight and Brendon O’Connor returns to the side at blindside flanker.
Tony Woodcock and James Parsons are named in the front row, while Jimmy Cowan is under an injury cloud and is bracketed alongside Jamison Gibson-Park at halfback.
Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd has reshuffled his backline as his side attempts to maintain its unbeaten record in 2015.
Nehe Milner-Skudder has recovered from a knee injury and replaces James Marshall at fullback. All black Cory Jane earns a rest and is replaced by Matt Proctor on the wing, while TJ Perenara returns to the starting side at halfback.
HURRICANES (1-15): Reggie Goodes, Dane Coles, Ben Franks, Mark Abbott, James Broadhurst, Brad Shields, Ardie Savea, Victor Vito, TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett, Julian Savea, Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Matt Proctor, Nehe Milner-Skudder
Reserves: Motu Matu’u, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Chris Eves, Jeremy Thrush, Blade Thomson, Chris Smylie, Reynold Lee-Lo, James Marshall
BLUES (1-15): Tony Woodcock, James Parsons, Charlie Faumuina, Josh Bekhuis, Patrick Tuipulotu, Brendon O’Connor, Luke Braid, Steven Luatua, Jimmy Cowan/ Jamison Gibson-Park, Ihaia West, Melani Nanai, Francis Saili, Charles Piutau, Frank Halai, Lolagi Visinia Reserves: Keven Mealamu, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Angus Ta’avao, Hayden Triggs, Akira Ioane, Jamison Gibson-Park/Bryn Hall, Simon Hickey, George Moala
FORCE v REBELS at nib Stadium
Friday, 10:00pm AEDT, LIVE ON FOX SPORTS 2HD
The Western Force have made just one change to their side as they desperately look to turn their season around against the Rebels on Friday night.
Fullback Luke Morahan has succumbed to a hamstring injury and is replaced by Luke Burton.
The match will be Nick ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins’ first home fixture since returning to the Force.
Rebels coach Tony McGahan has made minimal changes to the side that pushed the Brumbies hard in round three before their bye.
Reigning player’s player Colby Fainga’a has been replacd by Scott Fuglistaller, while Tom Sexton and Steve Cummins are named on the bench in place of Ben Whittaker and Sam Jeffries.
FORCE (1-15): Pekahou Cowan, Nathan Charles, Tetera Faulkner, Sam Wykes, Steve Mafi, Brynard Stander, Chris Alcock, Ben McCalman, Alby Mathewson, Zack Holmes, Nick Cummins, Solomoni Jnr Rasolea, Kyle Godwin, Marcel Brache, Luke Burton
Reserves: Heath Tessmann, Chris Heiberg, Oliver Hoskins, Adam Coleman, Kane Koteka, Ian Prior, Sias Ebersohn, Mitchell Scott
REBELS (1-15): Toby Smith, Pat Leafa, Laurie Weeks, Luke Jones, Lopeti Timani, Sean McMahon, Scott Fuglistaller, Scott Higginbotham, Nic Stirzaker, Jack Debreczeni, Tom English, Mitch Inman, Tamati Ellison, Dom Shipperley, Mike Harris.
Reserves: Tom Sexton, Cruze Ah-Nau, Paul Alo-Emile, Steve Cummins, Colby Fainga’a, Luke Burgess, Bryce Hegarty, Sefanaia Naivalu.
CRUSADERS v LIONS at Christchurch Stadium
Saturday, 2:30pm AEDT, LIVE ON FOX SPORTS 2HD
Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder has sprung a surprise by naming All Blacks great Dan Carter at inside centre and retaining Colin Slade at flyhalf for his side’s clash with the Lions.
Instead of shifting Slade to fullback to cover the loss of Israel Dagg, Tom Taylor has been handed the number 15 jersey.
International quartet Kieran Read, Sam Whitelock, Nemani Nadolo and Owen also come in to the side, while Richie McCaw will wear his favoured number seven.
After climbing off the bottom of the Super Rugby table last weekend, the Lions will field an unchanged starting side for the clash with last year’s runners up.
Andries Ferreira and Springboks flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff have been named by coach Johan Ackermann on the bench.
CRUSADERS (1-15): Wyatt Crockett, Ben Funnell, Owen Franks, Luke Romano, Sam Whitelock, Jordan Taufua, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Andy Ellis, Colin Slade, Nemani Nadolo, Dan Carter, Ryan Crotty, Johnny McNicoll, Tom Taylor
Reserves: Codie Taylor, Joe Moody, Nepo Laulala, Scott Barrett, Luke Whitelock, Mitchell Drummond, Kieron Fonotia, David Havili.
LIONS (1-15): Corne Fourie, Robbie Coetzee, Julian Redelinghuys, Franco Mostert, Martin Muller, Jaco Kriel, Warwick Tecklenburg, Warren Whiteley, Ross Cronje, Elton Jantjies, Sampie Mastriet, Harold Vorster, Lionel Mapoe, Ruan Combrinck, Andries Coetzee
Reserves: Armand van der Merwe, Jacques van Rooyen, Ruan Dreyer, Andries Ferreira, Derick Minnie, Faf de Klerk, Marnitz Boshoff, Howard Mnisi
HIGHLANDERS v WARATAHS at Forsyth Barr Stadium
Saturday, 5:35pm AEDT, LIVE ON FOX SPORTS 2HD
The Waratahs have named an unchanged side for their clash with the Highlanders on Saturday.
Michael Cheika has once again named an extended bench, with Sam Lousi and Ben Volavola included alongside last week’s reserves.
The Highlanders have made some adjustments to their forward pack after it was found wanting against the Chiefs on Saturday night, despite taking the points.
Ross Geldenhuys is named in place of Ma’afu Fia in the front row, Tom Franklin is named at lock replacing Mark Reddish and Shane Christie comes in to the side at openside flanker, with Elliot Dixon shifting to the number six and Gareth Evans making way.
HIGHLANDERS (1-15): Josh Hohneck, Liam Coltman, Ross Geldenhuys, Tom Franklin, Joe Wheeler, Elliot Dixon, Shane Christie, Nasi Manu, Aaron Smith, Lima Sopoaga, Patrick Osborne, Shaun Treeby, Malakai Fekitoa, Waisake Naholo, Ben Smith
Reserves: Ash Dixon, Brendon Edmonds, Pingi Tala’apitaga, Mark Reddish, John Hardie, Fumiaki Tanaka, Marty Banks, Jason Emery
WARATAHS (1-15): Benn Robinson, Polota-Nau, Sekope Kepu, Will Skelton, Dave Dennis, Jacques Potgieter, Michael Hooper, Wycliff Palu, Nick Phipps, Bernard Foley, Rob Horne, Kurtley Beale, Matt Carraro, Peter Betham, Israel Folau
Reserves: Tolu Latu, Jeremy Tilse, Paddy Ryan, Sam Lousi, Mitchell Chapman, Stephen Hoiles, Brendan McKibbin, Jono Lance, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Ben Volavola
REDS v BRUMBIES at Suncorp Stadium
Saturday, 7:40pm AEDT, LIVE ON FOX SPORTS 2HD
James O’Connor’s woes have continued, with his Super Rugby comeback curtailed once again by injury.
O’Connor has been omitted from the Reds side to face the Brumbies on Saturday, as has winger Lachie Turner after suffering a second consecutive concussion on Saturday.
Ben Tapuai and Campbell Magnay will line up at fullback and wing respectively in place of O’Connor and Turner, while Veteran lock James Horwill returns to the side replacing Dave McDuling.
Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham is the envy of his Super Rugby peers after once again naming the same side for the third week in a row to face the Reds on Saturday.
REDS (1-15): James Slipper, Saia Fainga’a, Sam Talakai, Marco Kotze, James Horwill, Adam Thomson, Liam Gill, Jake Schatz, Will Genia, Nick Frisby, Campbell Magnay, Anthony Fainga’a, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Chris Kuridrani, Ben Tapuai
Reserves: James Hanson, Ben Daley, Sef Faagase, Dave McDuling, Curtis Browning, Scott Gale, Sam Johnson, Tom Banks
BRUMBIES (1-15): Scott Sio, Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander, Rory Arnold, Sam Carte, Scott Fardy, Jarrad Butler, Ita Vaea, Nic White, Matt Toomua, Joe Tomane, Christian Lealiifano, Tevita Kuridrani, Henry Speight, Robbie Coleman
Reserves: Josh Mann-Rea, Ruan Smith, JP Smith, Jordan Smiler, Blake Enever, Michael Dowsett, Lausii Taliauli, James Dargaville
STORMERS v CHIEFS at Newlands Rugby Stadium
Sunday, 12:00am AEDT, LIVE ON FOX SPORTS 2HD
STORMERS (1-15): TBA
CHIEFS (1-15): TBA
CHEETAHS v SHARKS at Vodacom Park
Sunday, 2:05am AEDT, LIVE ON FOX SPORTS 2HD
CHEETAHS: TBA
SHARKS: TBA
Originally published as Super Rugby round five teams: James O’Connor ruled out of Reds side with leg injury
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