• The second round of the season begins on Friday with a New Zealand derby between the Chiefs and Crusaders in Hamilton, which kicks off at 7.05pm.
• Moana Pasifika then meet the Reds - who had a week-one bye - in Brisbane at 9.35pm.
• On Saturday, the Hurricanes host the Fijian Drua in Napier at 4.35pm.
• The Highlanders and Blues then clash in Dunedin in the 7.05pm game.
• The Waratahs have the bye this week.

Chiefs team to face Crusaders

Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan has made a host of changes to his side who beat the Blues in round one, with All Blacks Aidan Ross, Emoni Narawa and Tupou Vaa’i among those to join the starting lineup.

Notably, Leroy Carter has shifted from the right wing to the left, with Etene Nanai-Seturo ruled out due to a hamstring injury. The issue is expected to keep the Chiefs wing out for an extended period, though he is expected to return later in the season.

Chiefs: 1. Aidan Ross 2. Bradley Slater 3. George Dyer 4. Josh Lord 5. Tupou Vaa’i 6. Simon Parker 7. Jahrome Brown 8. Luke Jacobson (c) 9. Xavier Roe 10. Josh Jacomb 11. Leroy Carter 12. Rameka Poihipi 13. Anton Lienert-Brown 14. Emoni Narawa 15. Damian McKenzie.

Bench: 16. Brodie McAlister 17. Jared Proffit 18. Reuben O’Neill 19. Manaaki Selby-Rickit 20. Samipeni Finau 21. Cortez Ratima 22. Quinn Tupaea 23. Gideon Wrampling

Unavailable: Wallace Sititi (knee - season), Etene Nanai-Seturo (hamstring), Liam Coombes-Fabling (knee), Fiti Sa (shoulder), Samisoni Taukei’aho (Achilles), Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (shoulder), Malachi Wrampling (knee).

Tupou Vaa'i will start for the Chiefs against the Crusaders this weekend. Photo / Photosport

Crusaders team to face Chiefs

With incumbent No 9 Noah Hotham facing a stint on the sidelines due to an ankle injury, Kyle Preston - the competition’s leading try scorer after round one - will start at halfback for the Crusaders in Hamilton.

That is the only change to Rob Penney’s starting XV from round one, with Mitchell Drummond joining the reserves.

Crusaders: 1. Tamaiti Williams 2. Ioane Moananu 3. Fletcher Newell 4. Scott Barrett 5. Antonio Shalfoon 6. Cullen Grace 7. Ethan Blackadder 8. Christian Lio-Willie 9. Kyle Preston 10. Taha Kemara 11. Sevu Reece 12. David Havili (c) 13. Levi Aumua 14. Chay Fihaki 15. Will Jordan.

Bench: 16. Manumaua Letiu 17. George Bower 18. Sam Matenga 19. Tahlor Cahill 20. Corey Kellow 21. Mitchell Drummond 22. James O’Connor 23. Dallas McLeod

Unavailable: George Bell (foot - season), Codie Taylor (hamstring), Fletcher Anderson (heel), Rivez Reihana (ankle), Seb Calder (AC joint), Quentin Strange (pectoral and hamstring), Dom Gardiner (hamstring), Jamie Hannah (shoulder), Aki Tuivailala (finger), Johnny McNicholl (hamstring), Braydon Ennor (wrist), Finlay Brewis (shoulder - season), Kershawl Sykes-Martin (knee), Noah Hotham (ankle).

Kyle Preston will start at halfback for the Crusaders. Photo / Photosport

Moana Pasifika team to face Reds

An unchanged starting XV will take the field for Fa’alogo Tana Umaga’s side in their clash with the Reds in Brisbane.

The only change to the match-day team comes on the bench, where Manu Samoa representative Losi Filipo wears the No 23 jersey. Ola Tauelangi is the man to make way.

Moana Pasifika: 1. James Lay 2. Millennium Sanerivi 3. Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou 4. Samuel Slade 5. Allan Craig 6. Miracle Faiilagi 7. Sione Havili Talitui 8. Ardie Savea (c) 9. Jonathan Taumateine 10. Jackson Garden-Bachop 11. Kyren Taumoefolau 12. Lalomilo Lalomilo 13. Pepesana Patafilo 14. Solomon Alaimalo 15. William Havili.

Bench: 16. Sama Malolo 17. Tito Tuipulotu 18. Chris Apoua 19. Tom Savage 20. Semisi Tupou Tailoa 21. Melani Matavao 22. Danny Toala 23. Losi Filipo.

Unavailable: Lotu Inisi (hamstring), Fine Inisi (hamstring), Neria Fomai (knee - season).

Moana Pasifika fullback William Havili. Photo / Photosport.

Hurricanes team to face Fijian Drua

A head injury to lock Isaia Walker-Leawere will see Hugo Plummer start alongside Caleb Delany in the Hurricanes' engine room against the Fijian Drua in an otherwise unchanged starting side.

Will Tucker will provide the locking minutes off the bench as the only new face to join the match-day squad.

Hurricanes: 1. Xavier Numia 2. Jacob Devery 3. Tevita Mafileo 4. Caleb Delany 5. Hugo Plummer 6. Brad Shields (cc) 7. Du’Plessis Kirifi (cc) 8. Brayden Iose 9. Cameron Roigard 10. Harry Godfrey 11. Kini Naholo 12. Peter Umaga-Jensen 13. Bailyn Sullivan 14. Fatafehi Fineanganofo 15. Callum Harkin.

Bench: 16. Raymond Tuputupu 17. Pouri Rakete-Stones 18. Pasilio Tosi 19. Will Tucker 20. Peter Lakai 21. Ereatara Enari 22. Riley Hohepa 23. Ngatungane Punivai.

Unavailable: Zach Gallagher (Achilles), Daniel Sinkinson (hamstring), Ruben Love (ankle), Lucas Cashmore (knee), Brett Cameron (knee - season), Asafo Aumua (foot), Tyrel Lomax (ankle), Devan Flanders (ankle), Isaia Walker-Leawere (head), Tjay Clarke (shoulder), Riley Higgins (hand), Billy Proctor (Achilles).

Xavier Numia takes a carry during the Hurricanes' round-one loss to the Crusaders. Photo / Photosport

Highlanders team to face Blues

Folau Fakatava returns to the starting lineup for the Highlanders' clash with the Blues in Dunedin on Saturday night in one of three changes to the run-on side.

Sean Withy will move from openside to blindside flanker for the Highlanders' clash against the Blues, with Veveni Lasaqa joining the starting XV in the No 7 jersey. Finn Hurley also joins the starting side at fullback, seeing Sam Gilbert shift to the right wing and Michael Manson out of the matchday squad.

Highlanders: 1. Ethan de Groot 2. Soane Mikaele Vikena 3. Saula Ma’u 4. Fabian Holland 5. Mitch Dunshea 6. Sean Withy 7. Veveni Lasaqa 8. Hugh Renton (cc) 9. Folau Fakatava 10. Taine Robinson 11. Caleb Tangitau 12. Timoci Tavatavanawai (cc) 13. Tanielu Tele’a 14. Sam Gilbert 15. Finn Hurley.

Reserves: 16. Jack Taylor 17. Daniel Lienert-Brown 18. Sefo Kautai 19. Will Stodart 20. Nikora Broughton 21. Nathan Hastie 22. Cameron Millar 23. Lui Naeata.

Unavailable: Oliver Haig (foot), Jonah Lowe (ACL), TK Howden (hamstring), Jona Nareki (ankle) Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (neck).

Folau Fakatava returns to the starting lineup this weekend. Photo / Photosport

Blues team to face Highlanders

Hoskins Sotutu will be back in the No 8 jersey for the Blues this weekend, seeing Cameron Suafoa shift to blindside flanker and Anton Segner drop out of the matchday squad.

It is one of two changes to the run-on side, with halfback Finlay Christie starting and Taufa Funaki moving back to the bench.

Hooker James Mullan is in-line for his debut off the bench, with lock Josh Beehre also joining the impact squad.

Blues: 1. Ofa Tu’ungafasi 2. Ricky Riccitelli 3. Marcel Renata 4. Patrick Tuipulotu (c) 5. Laghlan McWhannell 6. Cameron Suafoa 7. Dalton Papali’i 8. Hoskins Sotutu 9. Finlay Christie 10. Harry Plummer 11. Caleb Clarke 12. AJ Lam 13. Rieko Ioane 14. Mark Tele’a 15. Beauden Barrett.

Bench: 16. James Mullan 17. Joshua Fusitua 18. Angus Ta’avao 19. Josh Beehre 20. Adrian Choat 21. Taufa Funaki 22. Corey Evans 23. Cole Forbes.

Unavailable: Kurt Eklund (groin), Sam Darry (shoulder - season), PJ Sheck (shoulder), Zarn Sullivan (foot), Stephen Perofeta (calf), Ben Ake (shoulder).

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