Super Rugby

Super Rugby will expand to 12 teams next year to include two Pacific island teams, with the season set to kick off on February 18. (AAP Image/Andrew Cornaga) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY ** STRICTLY EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO COMMERCIAL USE, NO BOOKS **

Blues and Highlanders name sides for Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final

The Blues and Highlanders have named their sides for their Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final at Eden Park in Auckland.

Super Rugby

Super Rugby will expand to 12 teams next year to include two Pacific island teams, with the season set to kick off on February 18. (AAP Image/Andrew Cornaga) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY ** STRICTLY EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO COMMERCIAL USE, NO BOOKS **

The Blues have made just one change to their starting XV while the Highlanders have named an unchanged team for their Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday, 19 June.

Kick-off is at 09:05 SA time.

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The Blues have selected Akira Ioane in place of Tom Robinson who has been sidelined by a concussion.

The Highlanders have managed to name an unchanged match-day squad from last week’s win over the Brumbies after Jona Nareki and Pari Pari Parkinson overcame injuries sustained in the match.

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TEAMS:

Blues

15 Zarn Sullivan, 14 Bryce Heem, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 TJ Faiane, 11 Mark Telea, 10 Otere Black, 9 Finlay Christie, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papalii, 6 Akira Ioane, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu (captain), 4 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Kurt Eklund, 1. Alex Hodgman

Substitutes: 16 Ray Niuia, 17 Karl Tu’inukuafe, 18 Marcel Renata, 19 Josh Goodhue, 20 Blake Gibson, 21 Jonathan Ruru, 22 Harry Plummer, 23 AJ Lam

Highlanders 

15 Josh Ioane, 14 Patelesio Tomkinson, 13 Michael Collins, 12 Scott Gregory, 11 Jona Nareki, 10 Mitch Hunt, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kazuki Himeno, 7 Billy Harmon, 6 Hugh Renton, 5 Bryn Evans, 4 Pari Pari Parkinson, 3 Siate Tokolahi, 2 Ash Dixon (captain), 1 Ethan de Groot

Substitutes: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 Ayden Johnstone, 18 Josh Hohneck, 19 Josh Dickson, 20 James Lentjes, 21 Kayne Hammington, 22 Sam Gilbert, 23 Teariki Ben-Nicholas