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All Black Shannon Frizell shifts to lock as Highlanders make mass changes

(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

The Highlanders have made nine changes to their starting side as they look to return to winning ways against the ACT Brumbies in Canberra on Sunday.

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While they’re looking for their first win in more than a month, the Highlanders have decided to rest a couple of their key All Blacks.

Test stars Ethan de Groot and Aaron Smith will not play this weekend, and fullback Sam Gilbert has also been rested after playing more than 700 minutes this season.

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Experienced campaigner Daniel Lienert-Brown takes his place in the starting side, and will pack down in the front row alongside hooker Andrew Makalio and prop Saula Ma’u.

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All Black Shannon Frizell shifts into the second row, and will line-up alongside Josh Dickson.

James Lentjes is the one other change in the forward pack, with the flanker set to form a backrow trio along with captain Billy Harmon and in-form No. 8 Hugh Renton.

Halfback Folau Fakatava replaces Aaron Smith in the starting side, and will partner former England playmaker Freddie Burns in the halves.

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Jona Nareki takes his spot on the left wing, while Connor Garden-Bachop shifts to fullback to replace Sam Gilbert.

Highlanders team to take on Brumbies

  1. Daniel Lienert-Brown
  2. Andrew Makalio
  3. Saula Ma’u
  4. Shannon Frizell
  5. Josh Dickson
  6. James Lentjes
  7. Billy Harmon (c)
  8. Hugh Renton
  9. Folau Fakatava
  10. Freddie Burns
  11. Jona Nareki
  12. Thomas Umaga-Jensen
  13. Fetuli Paea
  14. Scott Gregory
  15. Connor Garden-Bachop

Replacements:

  1. Rhys Marshall
  2. Ayden Johnstone
  3. Jermaine Ainsley
  4. Marino Mikaele-Tu’u
  5. Sean Withy
  6. James Arscott
  7. Mitch Hunt
  8. Jonah Lowe

Not available due to injury: Vili Koroi, Marty Banks, Jeff Thwaites, Josh Timu, Jake Te Hiwi, Cameron Millar, Fabian Holland, Will Tucker, Pari Pari Parkinson, Martin Bogado

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BleedRed&Black 9 minutes ago
Scott Robertson explains Ethan Blackadder's All Blacks omission

They do seem to have a fair number of experimental selections from last year and this, Norris, Tosi, Finau, Sititi, Kirifi, Ratima, Hotham, Tavatavanawai, Proctor and Love, but that's a good thing. International coaches have to take the lead with players instead of relying on who is "in form", which often as not means who is playing in the winning team. They need to work out who has the highest ceiling, and who is flattering to deceive.

My votes for most likely in second category; Kirifi, who looks like another Laumape to me, Tavatavanawai, who simply can't pass and is too slow for an international winger, and Tosi, who is a second choice tighthead in a club with an abysmal record in developing tight forwards. He really needs to go to the Chiefs or Blues, be their starting 3. He's going backwards at the Hurricanes.

The Chiefs have a lot of players in the squad, but almost all of them are new/tenuous, with only Vaa'i a match day squad certainty. Even Sititi can't be considered certain. He's had a very quiet year, was benched by McMillan, and his defensive decision-making in the final was appalling. It never ceases to amaze me how failures by X factor players are simply ignored. No one has pointed out that it was Sititi getting himself in completely the wrong place in a maul that led to Taylors breakaway and the Crusaders only try.

From the Crusaders POV, my only disappointment is that Reihana didn't make the team, he looks made for test match rugby, and Lio-Willie is only a replacement player. I get the feeling the latter at least will change.

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