Piri Weepu returns home for 100th Super Rugby game

All Black halfback Piri Weepu will play his 100th Super Rugby game against his old franchise the Hurricanes this weekend in Wellington. Also ticking up a Super Rugby milestone is centre Rene Ranger who will bring up his 50th game for the Blues. Head coach Sir John Kirwan said it would be a special night for two of his most experienced players. “It’s a special achievement for Piri in front of his whanau and against his old team. It was an emotional place for him to leave but we’re proud he’ll be playing his 100th Super Rugby game for us in front of his family with his new family,” Kirwan says. “We’ve also got Rene’s 50th game. He’s a Blues man and played every single one of his 50 games with us so it’s a special night for him too. It’s just really important that all the guys do their jobs, these milestones are important and they’re important if we put in a good performance,” he says. Kirwan revealed how difficult it was to select his first starting XV. “It was really tough, there are some really unlucky guys and I think that’s how it should be,” Kirwan says. “One of the things we asked the players was to put us under pressure to get selected. When we started in December I thought ‘well this is going to be interesting’ but everyone has put their hands up, there wasn’t one player in the team that wasn’t considered except for Anthony Boric who is still coming back from injury so that’s a pretty good situation to be in,” he says. Chris Noakes has been given the nod at first five-eighths ahead of Baden Kerr and will make his first appearance in a Blues jersey, while Culum Retallick will also play his first game for the Blues at lock. Kirwan said the decision to pick his starting first-five was particularly difficult. “There was some really good competition there,” he says. “I think Chris brings us that experience we need and he’s driving the football team well. Baden has just really improved week after week. He came into the side and was probably not expressing himself as well as he could, but he’s certainly been living up to our motto ‘better never stops’ so there’s good pressure,” Kirwan says. Powerful Counties-Manukau wing Frank Halai will make his Super Rugby debut. On the bench, Brendon O’Connor, Bryn Hall and Baden Kerr are poised to make their Super Rugby debuts, while Quentin MacDonald and Jackson Willison may also make their first appearances in a Blues jersey. Blues: 15. Charles Piutau, 14. Frank Halai*, 13. Rene Ranger, 12. Francis Saili, 11. George Moala, 10. Chris Noakes, 9. Piri Weepu, 8. Peter Saili, 7. Luke Braid, 6. Steven Luatua, 5. Ali Williams (C), 4. Culum Retallick, 3. Charlie Faumuina, 2. James Parsons, 1. Tom McCartney Reserves: 16. Quentin MacDonald, 17. Angus Ta’avao, 18. Liaki Moli, 19. Brendon O’Connor*, 20. Bryn Hall*, 21. Baden Kerr*, 22. Jackson Willison *Super Rugby debut 3 News