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Hurricanes Make Four Changes to Face The Reds

Hooker Asafo Aumua has recovered from a head knock and will start in the middle of the front row on Friday while Reed Prinsep returns to the starting XV after he missed the trip across the Tasman.

Young halfback Cam Roigard gets an opportunity in the No 9 jersey while wing Wes Goosen is recalled in place of Salesi Rayasi who drops to the bench.

Blockbusting second five-eighth Ngani Laumape will farewell Hurricanes fans as he runs on to Sky Stadium for the final time on Friday night against the Reds.

Laumape, who made his debut for the Hurricanes in 2016, will start in the Hurricanes final Super Rugby Trans-Tasman round robin match against the Australian champions and to honour him, the club are offering 500 $12 tickets to the match in recognition of the jersey he has worn with such distinction.

The All Blacks midfielder, who has made 83 appearances for Hurricanes and scored an impressive 43 tries, will head to France at the end of the Super Rugby season where he will join Top 14 club Stade Francais.

He will again partner Billy Proctor in the midfield in a starting XV which has four changes to the one which lost narrowly to the Brumbies in Canberra last round.

The bench also has a number of changes with veteran Dane Coles featuring after he played a prominent role against the Brumbies while Peter Umaga-Jensen returns with Hurricanes head coach Jason Holland opting for a five-forward, three back make-up this week.

“While we were bitterly disappointed to lose in Canberra the boys have picked themselves up and are really determined to put on a good performance for a number of reasons,” he said.

“The first of those is to reward our loyal fans with a performance they can be proud of while we really want to send those players leaving off in a positive fashion.”

Holland said while the loss to the Brumbies would more than likely cost them a chance to play in the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final, they had to go out and play positively.

“Results don’t always go to the script and we have seen the Australian sides becoming a lot more competitive as this competition has gone on. We’ve felt that first hand and we know the Reds are going to provide a massive challenge.”

Kick-off at Sky Stadium is 7.05pm.

The Hurricanes squad to face the Reds is:

1             XAVIER NUMIA
2             ASAFO AUMUA
3             TYREL LOMAX
4             JAMES BLACKWELL
5             SCOTT SCRAFTON
6             REED PRINSEP
7             DU’PLESSIS KIRIFI
8             ARDIE SAVEA ©
9             CAM ROIGARD
10           RUBEN LOVE
11           WES GOOSEN
12           NGANI LAUMAPE
13           BILLY PROCTOR
14           JULIAN SAVEA
15           JORDIE BARRETT

REPLACEMENTS:
          
16.          DANE COLES
17.          POURI RAKETE-STONES
18.          ALEX FIDOW
19.          LIAM MITCHELL
20.          DEVAN FLANDERS
21.          LUKE CAMPBELL
22.          PETER UMAGA-JENSEN
23.          SALESI RAYASI

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