Rokocoko out: Weekend news
Joe Rokocoko is one of a number of All Blacks missing from the Blues' starting XV.
Auckland Blues coach David Nucifora has shown faith in his winning side by opting to hold back all of his 'reconditioned' All Blacks this weekend.
The Blues take on the Waratahs having won five of their first six matches, including last week's 41-14 hammering of the Lions.
Kiwi winger Joe Rokocoko is an enforced absentee due to an ankle injury, but he is joined by fellow New Zealand internationals Ali Williams and Tony Woodcock on the sidelines.
Williams and Woodcock will gain match sharpness in club rugby instead, while Keven Mealamu's inclusion on the bench is merely due to the absence of regular hooking cover Saimone Taumoepeau.
Chris Heard replaces Taumoepeau at loosehead in one of five changes, while Angus Macdonald comes into the back row in a surprise swap for the impressive Nick Williams.
Sean Devine and Isa Nacewa form a fresh half-back partnership, with George Pisi taking Ben Atiga's place at full-back.
Perhaps surprisingly, the Waratahs have kept an unchanged line-up for Friday's encounter despite losing 16-10 to the Stormers in their last outing.
Ewen McKenzie's men have won just once all season, but he is refusing to panic ahead of their trip to Auckland.
"We're still in it and we're going to New Zealand as underdogs," he told Planet Rugby website.
"I'm really happy with the focus this week and although we've been written off in many quarters we know the tide will turn soon."
McKenzie's unwavering faith means Lote Tuqiri and Morgan Turinui continue in midfield, with Sam Norton-Knight - the man Tuqiri shoved two weeks ago - continuing outside of him on the right wing.
Crusaders boss Robbie Deans has done the complete opposite to Blues coach Nucifora, recalling all six of his returning All Blacks for the visit of the Stormers - live on Sky Sports Xtra.
Taking a different perspective on the return of his Kiwi stars, Deans believes it is best for the entire squad if the big names are reacquainted with Super 14 life as soon as possible.
As a result, Leon MacDonald comes in at full-back, meaning Scott Hamilton switches to the wing following his try-scoring exploits of last week.
Aaron Mauger slots in alongside Casey Laulala at inside-centre, with All Blacks icon Daniel Carter back to orchestrate things at pivot.
The pack sees Chris Jack, Richie McCaw and Reuben Thorne all return, although McCaw will not regain the captaincy as Deans give the flanker space to concentrate on his game.
The return of the 'super-six' means lock Michael Paterson and flankers Kieran Read and Johnny Leo'o act as cover, on a five-two bench that sees Stephen Brett and Kevin Senio as the only backline options.
South Africa's Stormers have named a new second-row pairing for their trip to Jade Stadium, with Ross Skeate and Francois van der Merwe teaming up at the line-out.
They replace Andries Bekker and Gerrie Britz, who are given a rest by coach Kobus van der Merwe.
Elsewhere, the South Africans have suffered an 11th-hour setback with the news that full-back Brent Russell will miss the game due to a hamstring injury, meaning Gio Aplon is promoted from the bench.
The only alteration to the backs sees winger Dylan des Fountain replace Corne Llys, who has an injured pectoral muscle.
The Bulls have focused on their pack ahead of Saturday's trip to the Highlanders, most notably recalling Springbok lock Victor Matfield.
Matfield was rested in the 32-10 defeat to the Crusaders, but he comes back into the side as one of coach Heyneke Meyer's four changes.
Three of those come in the forwards, where Rayno Gerber is a key inclusion at tighthead in place of Danie Thiart.
Gerber has missed the first seven rounds due to injury, but he is recalled by Meyer as the Bulls coach anticipates a tough contest against an opposition front row that boasts New Zealand internationals Carl Hayman and Anton Oliver.
His other pack alteration is based partially on sentiment, as Anton Leonard is handed a start in place of Pedrie Wannenburg, with Meyer admitting he did not want the number eight's 50th appearance to come from the bench.
The only change to the backline sees former Bath man Frikkie Welsh replacing Marius Delport at outside-centre due to his greater experience in the position.
Meyer will be shocked when he views the Highlanders line-up, which actually does not feature either Anton Oliver or Carl Hayman.
Both Kiwi stars start from the bench as coach Greg Cooper goes with a settled XV for the Dunedin encounter.
The Highlanders' last outing saw them defeat Queensland Reds 33-17 two weeks ago, and Cooper is happy to stick with a winning formula.
That means number eight Ezra Taylor and centre Aaron Bancroft both earn their second starts of the season, while David Hall and Jamie Mackintosh are the men to drop out of the squad.
The big news for the Chiefs is the return of their All Blacks duo Byron Kelleher and Sitiveni Sivivatu, who both start against the Reds on Saturday - live on Sky Sports Xtra.
In the case of Kelleher, the scrum-half's return could not be better-timed after Jamie Nutbrown was ruled out for the rest of the season.
Both players are drafted in as starters in two of five changes to the Chiefs line-up, following last week's 34-7 victory over the Lions.
The other three alterations come in the pack, where props Craig West and Ben Castle are introduced, along with openside flanker Tanerau Latimer.
Marty Holah is the man to drop to the bench.
Reds boss Eddie Jones makes just two changes for the Brisbane encounter, as they look to end a six-match losing streak in Super 14 competition.
Jones can call upon fit-again hooker Stephen Moore for the first time this season, in a timely swap as Sean Hardman begins a three-week spell on the sidelines with a fractured hand.
Nic Berry is the other addition to the XV, reclaiming his number nine jersey from Will Genia, who settles for a bench spot.
The ACT Brumbies will be without first-choice centre pairing Gene Fairbanks and Stirling Mortlock for their trip to face the Sharks in Durban.
The duo have neck and hand problems respectively, so Julian Huxley will move inside from his usual role at stand-off to partner Peter Playford - himself a recognised winger.
Huxley's switch is aided by the return of Wallaby fly-half Stephen Larkham, who ends a four-week absence to appear at ABSA Stadium.
The Brumbies will hope they can rely on a settled pack to match up to the powerful Sharks this weekend, handing Larkham the platform to dictate the game.
Jone Tawake is the only new face in the forwards, taking the place of Julian Salvi at blindside as part of the side's squad rotation.
Sharks boss Dick Muir has few selection headaches in his squad right now, having won six out of six so far.
With Percy Montgomerie still missing due to injury both of Muir's changes come in the pack, where Albert van den Berg and captain John Smit return to the starting XV.
The Sharks boss also has the option of lock Johann Muller on the bench after the big second row made an astonishing recovery from a neck injury that saw him stretchered off against the Hurricanes.
Bismarck du Plessis and Ryan Kankowski provide front and back row cover respectively.
The Hurricanes recall all six of their reconditioned All Blacks in a desperate bid to rescue their season against the Lions this weekend.
Sitting 10th in the Super 14 table, coach Colin Cooper knows his men cannot afford to fall any further behind in the play-off race, so he has wasted no time in calling on the big guns.
Five of his Kiwi stars flood a refreshed pack, with Jerry Collins, Jason Eaton, Andrew Hore, Chris Masoe and Rodney So'oialo all drafted in.
So'oialo takes the captaincy from Tana Umaga, while Paul Tito is the only man to retain his place from the pack that started last week's 27-14 loss to the Sharks.
Piri Weepu is the sixth All Black to come into the starting XV at half-back, taking the jersey of Alby Mathewson who drops out of the squad.
A further switch in the backline sees Lome Fa'atau replacing David Smith on the wing, prompting Hosea Gear to move over to the left wing for Saturday's Ellis Park encounter.
The Lions are also coming off a poor result after their 34-7 loss to the Chiefs, and coach Eugene Eloff has reacted by making five tactical alterations.
Three come in the pack as he looks to match the fresh legs of the Hurricanes, with Cobus Grobler a significant face in the second row.
Grobler's presence will add plenty of power, and he is joined by front row battlers Bertus Smit and Ethienne Reynecke, who come in for Brian Majati and Willie Wepener.
In the backline, the out-of-favour Enrico Januarie is handed a start at half-back, while Jannie Boshoff starts on the wing at the expense of Wylie Human.
