Jerome Kaino misses Blues clash with Hurricanes

Blues coach Sir John Kirwan has named his Super Rugby team to face the Hurricanes in Palmerston North without Jerome Kaino who has failed to recover from concussion.

The struggling Blues have named an front row made up of All Blacks and with with record-setting hooker Keven Mealamu on the replacements bench.

The Blues front row quartet boast 397 Super Rugby caps between them.

Regular captain Kaino will sit out the game after failing a concussion test on the day after the game, with Steven Luatua moving back to No 8, Luke Braid to captain at No 6 with Brendon O’Connor returning to No 7.

Jimmy Cowan, who has a knee strain, is bracketed with Jamison Gibson-Park at halfback, with the rest of the backline unchanged.

Akira Ioane comes into the replacements at loose forward, Bryn Hall (who missed last Friday’s Blues A match against the Argentina Pampas with a back injury), is bracketed at halfback as he seeks his first start of the year, while George Moala is on the bench after recovering from a knee injury.

Not considered because of injury is Dan Bowden (foot injury) and Blake Gibson, who is likely to be available for club rugby next week.

Blues

Tony Woodcock , James Parsons , Charlie Faumuina , Josh Bekhuis , Patrick Tuipulotu , Brendon O’Connor , Luke Braid ( C ) , Steven Luatua , Jimmy Cowan/Jamison Gibson-Park , Ihaia West , Melani Nanai , Francis Saili , Charles Piutau , Frank Halai , Lolagi Visinia

Replacements : 16. Keven Mealamu , 17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi , 18. Angus Ta’avao/Sam Prattley , 19. Hayden Triggs , 20. Akira Ioane , 21. Gibson-Park/Bryn Hall , 22. Simon Hickey , 23. George Moala