Vern Cotter is embracing the idea that with injury comes opportunity.

The Blues coach had some choices made easier for his match-day squad in theiropening-round clash against the Chiefs at Eden Park on Saturday night, with eight players unavailable for selection.

It has been a common feature in round-one team lists across the country.

In total, 62 players were unavailable for selection in the Super Rugby Pacific’s opening round – with 43 of those being across the six New Zealand-based teams. The Crusaders were dealing with the most absentees, with 13 sidelined.

Some of those injuries have been very recent, too. Blues back Zarn Sullivan and Crusaders hooker George Bell were among those to pick up injuries in last week’s final round of pre-season games, while Hurricanes loose forward Devan Flanders and Blues lock Sam Darry were both injured in training last week.

However, ahead of their grand final rematch this weekend, Cotter took an optimistic view of the situation.

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“I think injuries are just part of it. I’m not going to make anything up by saying it’s a collision sport. That’s going to happen,” Cotter said.

“The great thing about injuries is that it opens the door for somebody else. I think if you’ve got that mindset around opportunity, you embrace it. Someone else gets a crack.

“There are some good young players coming through... it’s just the way you go. We’ve got six games, really hard games, that we’ve got to knuckle down and do our best at. Then we get a bit of a break, then we’re back in for a whole lot more.

“We know we’re looking really short-term on these games to be the best we can. Obviously players will come in and come out, and we’ll rock and roll with the results and all the other parts of it.”

When the Blues host the Chiefs this weekend, an interesting head-to-head battle is set as Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie – the two All Blacks first five-eighths – line up against each other at fullback.

Harry Plummer and Josh Jacomb will wear the No 10 for the Blues and Chiefs respectively.

“Injuries make team selections easier sometimes,” Cotter said.

“I mean, Zarn goes down in the friendly game last week, so that took away a selection dilemma around that type of thing and where best to fit Beaudy in – off the bench or at 10 or at 15.

“Luckily, and we’ve tried to develop that over the last year or so, players are able to play several positions and not really change the way we go about our business. There could be quite a lot of variations around the backline – probably a little less in the forwards, but around the backline I think there’s different ways of presenting the team.”

The Blues come into the season with a target on their back as the defending champions after ending a decades-long wait for a fully-fledged Super Rugby title.

It was a nice position for the team to be in, however, the side was clear that when the opening whistle blew to kick the 2025 season off, that title would ultimately stand for nothing.

“There’s no credit for winning last year. We’re at zero,” Cotter said.

“We’re very pragmatic and know that we’ve just got to go from phase to play, stay in the moment and do the best we can.

“Our mindset has been to improve... I think it’s a great way to be, and it’s a positive atmosphere within the group, trying to grow and become better.

“We challenge ourselves and one thing I really respect of this group is that it doesn’t matter if you’re in the 23 or not, everyone’s putting an honest challenge in to make the other guy next to him better and we’ll just keep cultivating that.”

Super Rugby Pacific NZ teams’ week-one casualty ward

Blues: Kurt Eklund (groin), James Mullan (concussion), Sam Darry (shoulder – season), PJ Sheck (shoulder), Hoskins Sotutu (knee), Zarn Sullivan (foot), Stephen Perofeta (calf), Ben Ake (shoulder).

Chiefs: Wallace Sititi (knee – season), Liam Coombes-Fabling, Fiti Sa, Samisoni Taukei’aho and TeToiroaTahuriorangi.

Crusaders: 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), Kershawl Sykes-Martin (knee), Braydon Ennor (wrist), George Bell (foot), Finlay Brewis (shoulder – season).

Highlanders: Oliver Haig (foot), Jonah Lowe (knee) Thomas Umaga-Jensen (shoulder), TK Howden (hamstring), Jona Nareki (ankle), Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (neck).

Hurricanes: Zach Gallagher (Achilles), Daniel Sinkinson (hamstring), Ruben Love (ankle), Lucas Cashmore (knee), Brett Cameron (knee – season), Asafo Aumua (foot), Tyrel Lomax (ankle), Devan Flankers (ankle).

Moana Pasifika: Lotu Inisi, Neria Fomai and Pone Fa’amausili.

Christopher Reivejoined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.