Heard from a source that Lam's injury might rule him out for this week and possibly next week. Just jumped on Getty Images to find anything to confirm that source and he doesn't appear to be in any of the shots.

If non bibs from this link are starters then it looks like the 23 will be:

1. Smith 2. Coles 3. JTA 4. Blackwell 5. Walker-Leawere 6. Prinsep 7. Savea 8. Evans 9. Perenara 10. Barrett 11. Rayasi 12. Laumape 13. Umaga-Jensen 14. Goosen 15. Barrett 16. Aumua 17. Armstrong 18. May 19. Leaupepe 20. Kirifi 21. Judd 22. Marshall 23. Smith

Or they go with an extra forward and drop one of Smith or Marshall.

@Canes4life said in Hurricanes vs Bulls:

Heard from a source that Lam's injury might rule him out for this week and possibly next week. Just jumped on Getty Images to find anything to confirm that source and he doesn't appear to be in any of the shots.

If non bibs from this link are starters then it looks like the 23 will be:

1. Smith 2. Coles 3. JTA 4. Blackwell 5. Walker-Leawere 6. Prinsep 7. Savea 8. Evans 9. Perenara 10. Barrett 11. Rayasi 12. Laumape 13. Umaga-Jensen 14. Goosen 15. Barrett 16. Aumua 17. Armstrong 18. May 19. Leaupepe 20. Kirifi 21. Judd 22. Marshall 23. Smith

Or they go with an extra forward and drop one of Smith or Marshall.

Stalking the players on Instagram again?

I don't see the logic in selecting JTA & May - they continually don't perform. Better to chuck the younger guys in who offer something. They certainly can't do any worse.

Not sold on Prinsep either but with Fifita out can see why they'd go with him. Hopefully Ben-Nicholas is signed up next year.

Pleased to see Umaga-Jensen there.

@foobaNZ That isn't the official squad. It's just the result of @Canes4life internet stalking, although he didn't do a bad job. It's close.

This is the official Hurricanes squad to play the Bulls:

Hurricanes squad to face the Bulls is:

15 Jordie Barrett
14 Wes Goosen
13 Peter Umaga-Jensen
12 Ngani Laumape
11 Ben Lam
10 Beauden Barrett
9 TJ Perenara
8 Gareth Evans
7 Ardie Savea
6 Reed Prinsep
5 Isaia Walker-Leawere
4 James Blackwell
3 Jeff To'omaga-Allen
2 Dane Coles (c)
1 Toby Smith

Reserves
16 Asafo Aumua
17 Fraser Armstrong
18 Ben May or Alex Fidow
19 Kane Le'aupepe
20 Du'Plessis Kirifi
21 Richard Judd or Finlay Christie
22 James Marshall
23 Salesi Rayasi

A host of experienced players will return to the Hurricanes starting XV for Saturday night's Investec Super Rugby quarter-final clash against the Bulls at Westpac Stadium.

The inside back pairing of TJ Perenara and Beauden Barrett are set to bring up a major milestone and play their 100th game together in front of their home fans.

The duo were originally going to reach the mark on the Hurricanes tour of South Africa but were denied the achievement after Barrett fell ill in Johannesburg.

He subsequently missed the Hurricanes match against the Lions and was also absent last week when a young side edged the Blues 29-24.

Barrett, the Hurricanes record points scorer, will play his 124th match for the club while Perenara will feature in his 126th match and equal the record number of appearances for the club which is jointly held by Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith.

Their return to the starting line-up are two of nine changes Hurricanes head coach John Plumtree has made for the sudden death match.

The season's leading try scorer, Ngani Laumape, also returns to play outside Barrett and Perenara while wing Wes Goosen has recovered from a hamstring strain which has kept him out of the side in the last fortnight.

Jordie Barrett has been named at fullback with Peter Umaga-Jensen's excellent form against the Lions and Blues has seen him named at centre.

There are four changes to the pack where vastly experienced props Toby Smith and Jeff To'omaga-Allen return.

Behind them James Blackwell comes into the second row after being given a rest against the Blues while star loose forward Ardie Savea is restored to the run on side.

Plumtree said there was growing excitement within the squad as they looked towards potentially their last home match of the season.

"I thought the whole squad got a real lift from the way our young side performed last week and that energy has started to really show through.

"We all worked really hard to earn a home play-off game and we can't wait to get out in front of our fans and meet the massive challenge the Bulls will bring."

Like that team. Our midfield will be a real threat as Peter U-J has shown he's a dangerous, and doubly so outside of Ngani.

I'm ok with Prinsep at 6 with Ardie and Evans at 7 and 8. Gives us good balance and a bit more height than if we'd started Kirifi. Hoping Fidow makes the bench over May.

@foobaNZ Yeah JTA is such a liability at scrum time, May not much better to be fair. I agree, atleast Fidow is devastating with ball in hand even though he has a lot of development to do in the way of scrummaging.

Peter U-J has been a weapon for Wainui this season - scoring and setting up tries for fun. Pleased he's in the team.

Good thing is the Canes seem know the weaknesses with their recruits for next year - JTA out and hopefully the end of May & Eves. It is concerning if Barrett goes though as it's a big step down obviously to the next guys.

That's a decent team. Some top players have had a good rest and should hopefully be firing for this game. If they win here and the Landers manage to inflict some serious injuries who knows what may happen.

To think there was a time not so long ago when we were fapping over the mere prospect of making the knock out rounds.

I just hope they get a decent crowd, enough to break even with the stupid money they have to pay the Bulls!

@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Hurricanes vs Bulls:

That's a decent team. Some top players have had a good rest and should hopefully be firing for this game. If they win here and the Landers manage to inflict some serious injuries who knows what may happen.

To think there was a time not so long ago when we were fapping over the mere prospect of making the knock out rounds.

You must be sick in the head if you think it's a good thing if one team manages to inflict injuries on another team's players. I hope that's not what you meant. It would harm the ABs as well, by the way.

It might go another way if that’s what was meant.The Bulls May inflict some serious damage on the Canes.
Personally I hope no one gets seriously injured WC around the corner

Bulls have looked too limited to reasonably expect a win here. The margin will be determined by the scrum contest IMO.

I want both the Crusaders and the Hurricanes to have a fully fit team next week, assuming they both make it through. Takes away any excuses when one team loses.

@Canes4life said in Hurricanes vs Bulls:

I want both the Crusaders and the Hurricanes to have a fully fit team next week, assuming they both make it through. Takes away any excuses when one team loses.

Canes won't. Proctor for one

@Stargazer said in Hurricanes vs Bulls:

@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Hurricanes vs Bulls:

That's a decent team. Some top players have had a good rest and should hopefully be firing for this game. If they win here and the Landers manage to inflict some serious injuries who knows what may happen.

To think there was a time not so long ago when we were fapping over the mere prospect of making the knock out rounds.

You must be sick in the head if you think it's a good thing if one team manages to inflict injuries on another team's players. I hope that's not what you meant. It would harm the ABs as well, by the way.

FFS it was a joke you ridiculous creature.

@Paekakboyz said in Hurricanes vs Bulls:

Like that team. Our midfield will be a real threat as Peter U-J has shown he's a dangerous, and doubly so outside of Ngani.

I'm ok with Prinsep at 6 with Ardie and Evans at 7 and 8. Gives us good balance and a bit more height than if we'd started Kirifi. Hoping Fidow makes the bench over May.

Prinsep is limited. as are Blackwell and JTA. But otherwise the forwards are strong enough. Backs are strong but only concern is Lam's defense. Still unsure if Umaga-Jensen is too great on this front

@Winger agree but they are the best of what we have to chose from, at least in terms of guys with some degree of exp. Prinsep isn't going as well as in prior seasons but if he does his core stuff we should go ok.

Blackwell, for all the journeyman shit (when we are feeling generous lol) we give him, is clocking up great stats. Wouldn't fault his ticker or his engine, but it would be good to have a really top drawer lock in the mix. Isaia Walker-Leawere is certainly making every post a winner though and is a great prospect.

@Winger questionable, will obviously lose a bit on D but I think Umaga-Jensen is a much bigger threat on attack.

Watched the last half hour of Bulls training at Kilbirnie Park this afternoon. Not a hell of a lot of urgency shown with a good number of dropped balls amongst the backs noticeable. Having said that the intensity and speed did pick up for the last ten minutes or so of the team run, and it needed to too.
They have about four or five huge munters that will dwarf our locks and blindside but they will probably be looking down to Ardies six foot eleven and a half inches. What looked to be their starting props are both somewhat chunky and squat but certainly had their scrum going forward nicely in contested scrums against the also rans of the squad. They (the two props) also were quite noticeably running blocking lines when the ball was passed to the second line behind them on attack. Also almost all passes from the base of rucks and mauls were going to the wider of the two guys set up when they chose to run forward hit ups.
Handre Pollard was not present at the training.

@Higgins the Bulls will be stuffed after the first 40 minutes. Canes have too much firepower.

Bulls
15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Johnny Kotze, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Handre Pollard (captain), 9 Andre Warner, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Hanro Liebenberg, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 RG Snyman, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Lizo Gqoboka

Reserves:
16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Wiehahn Herbst, 19 Jannes Kirsten, 20 Ruan Steenkamp, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Divan Rossouw

Matt Proctor might not be done for the season just yet. He has been named for Ories to play Tawa tomorrow in a bid to prove his fitness. It will be hard to bring him back in if Peter has a good night against the Bulls though, but I expect if he does Peter will take Rayasi's spot on the bench.

@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Hurricanes vs Bulls:

@Stargazer said in Hurricanes vs Bulls:

@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Hurricanes vs Bulls:

That's a decent team. Some top players have had a good rest and should hopefully be firing for this game. If they win here and the Landers manage to inflict some serious injuries who knows what may happen.

To think there was a time not so long ago when we were fapping over the mere prospect of making the knock out rounds.

You must be sick in the head if you think it's a good thing if one team manages to inflict injuries on another team's players. I hope that's not what you meant. It would harm the ABs as well, by the way.

FFS it was a joke you ridiculous creature.

Sorry to the posters above, I raced down to see this response . Didn't disappoint

Fletcher Smith taking place on the Canes' bench instead of James Marshall.

Bulls with heaps of possession but couldn’t make it pay.

Scrum looks soft

Peter U-J and Jordie missing crucial tackles. Try Bulls.

Umaga-Jensen with two bad reads early in this game. His brother does the same thing. No wonder the Proctor brothers were the preferred midfield for Wellington.

Kriel makes Umaga-Jensen his bitch. Bulls in.

Utter pants defence

@Stargazer tough on JB when the 1st tackle is expected to be made then you have to adjust your line

penalty only please.

Why kick that?

Tryyyyyyyyyyyy. PU-J making up for his earlier mistake.

Perenara one try closer to Folau

What are they saying, Goosen already off injured? I assume Rayasi is on then?

ah the 'LIttle halfback' call....

@taniwharugby :face_vomiting:

@taniwharugby said in Hurricanes vs Bulls:

ah the 'LIttle halfback' call....

Will we get the "XYZ with his speed"