The Highlanders have elected to rest their two star All Blacks for the game against the formidable Brumbies in Canberra on Sunday afternoon.
Tyro prop Ethan de Groot will enjoy his first chance to go duck-shooting this season, while master halfback Aaron Smith will no doubt relish some family time before he prepares for an emotional send-off and his last two games at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Few will quibble about the Highlanders effectively choosing to field a weakened team.
All Black rules dictate players must not appear in more than five consecutive games.
De Groot has played nine of the Highlanders’ 10 games, and while Smith has played just six, both men have to squeeze in an All Black rest week some time over the next month.
It simply makes more sense to let them miss the surprisingly long and complicated journey from Dunedin to Canberra, especially as the Brumbies are so heavily favoured to win, and have them as part of a full-strength team for looming home games against the Rebels (May 20) and Reds (May 26) that simply must be won.
"We’re playing on a Sunday, and we’re returning to play at home on quite a short turnaround with quite a bit of travel there and back," Highlanders coach Clarke Dermody said.
"We know how important those two games at home are going to be, as well as trying to get a good performance in Canberra."
Daniel Lienert-Brown brings his experience to replace de Groot, while young prop Saula Ma’u gets just a second Super Rugby start, with Jermaine Ainsley — the only Highlander to have started all 10 games — moved to the bench.
Ainsley and de Groot have formed a super propping combination this season and their replacements will have big shoes to fill.
"They’ve been two of our consistent performers across the whole team," Dermody said.
"Ethan, probably in a different way. I think he’s found his lungs a bit more with a run of games, and he’s one of the stand-out looseheads in the New Zealand teams.
"Jermaine was one of our more consistent guys last year as well, but maybe more so this year. Another step forward in his professionalism."
Ma’u has been a regular sight in the last quarter of games but gets a rare opportunity to measure his progress as a starter against a classy Brumbies scrum.
"It will be a good test for him around his set piece. He’s got a chance to start against an international front row. I know he’s looking forward to it, and it’s a good challenge for him."
With Smith rested, Folau Fakatava takes the No9 jersey and James Arscott makes the reserves.
Sam Gilbert — the Highlanders’ iron man this season with 706 minutes on the clock — also earns a weekend off.
Connor Garden-Bachop moves from wing to fullback, Scott Gregory switches wings, and there is the wonderful sight of Jona Nareki earning his first start for the Highlanders in nearly two years.
Nareki has made two cameos off the bench since returning from an injury layoff and is fizzing to start.
"The aim is to play as long as he can, and hopefully that’s 80 minutes," Dermody said.
"He’s an X-factor player. He scores a lot for us, and he’s accurate in his reads on defence, and he also has a pretty good left boot. It’s great to see him back out there."
The Highlanders’ locking crisis means regular blindside flanker Shannon Frizell — who was forced to play lock for much of the game against the Chiefs last week — partners Josh Dickson in the second row, and James Lentjes will make his fourth appearance of the season at No6.
"It’s sort of been dictated through last week’s injuries.
"Shannon did a great job for us last week, to be fair. It sort of suited him. It got him into the middle of the field, where he got his hands on the ball a bit more. And he’s a pretty good lineout exponent."
No8 Hugh Renton will provide lock cover.
Big second-rower Pari Pari Parkinson has lost "a fair bit" of weight after battling a viral complaint and is not considered ready to play.
Young Highlanders lock Fabian Holland has been diagnosed with a grade three hamstring tear and faces about 10 weeks on the sidelines.
Highlanders v Brumbies
The teams
Highlanders: Connor Garden-Bachop, Scott Gregory, Fetuli Paea, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Jona Nareki, Freddie Burns, Folau Fakatava, Hugh Renton, Billy Harmon (captain), James Lentjes, Josh Dickson, Shannon Frizell, Saula Ma’u, Andrew Makalio, Daniel Lienert-Brown. Reserves: Rhys Marshall, Ayden Johnstone, Jermaine Ainsley, Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, Sean Withy, James Arscott, Mitch Hunt, Jonah Lowe.
Brumbies: Tom Wright, Andy Muirhead, Len Ikitau, Ollie Sapsford, Corey Toole, Noah Lolesio, Nic White, Pete Samu, Jahrome Brown, Rob Valetini, Nick Frost, Darcy Swain, Alan Alaalatoa (captain), Lachlan Lonergan, James Slipper. Reserves: Connal McInerny, Blake Schoupp, Rhys van Nek, Tom Hooper, Luke Reimer, Ryan Lonergan, Jack Debreczeni, Hudson Creighton.
