WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) As many as a dozen All Blacks who played in last weekend’s third test against the British and Irish Lions will line up for either the Crusaders or Hurricanes on Saturday in a crucial New Zealand derby in the last round of the Super Rugby regular season.
The importance of the match for the defending champion Hurricanes is underscored by the fact that all of their available All Blacks – including six who played in the drawn test at Eden Park – are backing up only seven days later.
Fullback Jordie Barrett and center Ngani Laumape, who both made their first starting appearances for the All Blacks last weekend, return to the Wellington-based Hurricanes backline along with winger Julian Savea, flyhalf Beauden Barrett and scrumhalf T.