Super Rugby Preview: Friday

Just one game on the schedule this Friday as the bottom-placed Rebels host the Hurricanes in front of their vocal support at AAMI Stadium.

Just one game on the Super Rugby schedule this Friday as the bottom-placed Rebels host the Hurricanes in front of their vocal home support.

It seems like yesterday that the new franchise were enjoying that home victory over the Brumbies on a day that showed plenty of promising signs.

However three losses – two being comprehensive ones – followed that derby win and it now seems that the franchise are on the ropes once more.

What will encourage them though is that they are back on home soil where their game seems to go up a couple of gears. Their fans are one of a kind.

The return of vice-captain and number eight Gareth Delve will certainly boost the Rebels' cause and he will be key in getting Danny Cipriani some front-foot ball, as the latter seemed to fade in stages against the Reds in Delve's absence.

In other changes to their line-up, there is a start for Richard Kingi at full-back in the absence of Julien Huxley while Luke Rooney comes onto the right wing in place of Afusipa Taumoepeau. Rodney Blake is also given his first start.

The 'Canes meanwhile are in desperate need of their All Blacks finding top form this week as they look to bounce back from a 41-17 defeat to the Blues at Eden Park in Auckland.

Chris Eaton and Daniel Kirkpatrick are once again preferred at numbers nine and ten over Tyson Keats and Aaron Cruden while they still wait for the return to fitness of key internationals Piri Weepu, Hosea Gear and veteran number eight Rodney So'oialo.

Despite their loss to the Blues, their defeat was not as bad as their Friday opponents who come into this one not sparkling following a 50-point drubbing at the hands of the Reds in Brisbane. Both teams need a victory very quickly indeed. Who will get it is tough to fathom.

Prediction: While the 'Canes are struggling, they should have just enough to win by 7!

The teams:

Rebels: 15 Richard Kingi, 14 Luke Rooney, 13 Lachlan Mitchell, 12 Stirling Mortlock (c), 11 Cooper Vuna, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Gareth Delve, 7 Michael Lipman, 6 Jarrod Saffy, 5 Hugh Pyle, 4 Alister Campbell, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Ged Robinson, 1 Rodney Blake.
Replacements: 16 Luke Holmes, 17 Laurie Weeks, 18 Adam Byrnes, 19 Tim Davidson, 20 JP Du Plessis, 21 Peter Betham, 22 Afusipa Taumoepeau.

Hurricanes: 15 Cory Jane, 14 Julian Savea, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Andre Taylor, 10 Daniel Kirkpatrick, 9 Chris Eaton, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Jack Lam, 6 Faifili Levave, 5 Jason Eaton, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Neemia Tialata, 2 Andrew Hore (c), 1 John Schwalger.
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Anthony Perenise, 18 James Broadhurst, 19 Serge Lilo, 20 Tyson Keats, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 Jayden Hayward.

Date: Friday, March 25
Venue: AAMI Stadium, Melbourne
Kick-off: 19.40 (08.40 GMT)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referee: Nathan Pearce (Australia), Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)