![\"Tupou's](\"https:\/\/vms-network-images-prod.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/2021\/05\/357501\/pickerImage.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
SUPER RUGBY TRANS-TASMAN, ROUND ONE<\/strong><\/p>\n HIGHLANDERS vs REDS, Friday 5.05pm AEST in Dunedin<\/strong><\/p>\n The Highlanders will embark on life without coach Tony Brown against the Australian champion Reds under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium.<\/p>\n Brown has been called up early for his commitments with the Japan Test team and has handed the reins over to assistant coach Clarke Dermody, the former All Blacks prop.<\/p>\n Dermody has regained the services of promising lock Pari Pari Parkinson from injury while Hugh Renton gets a rare start at blindside flanker.<\/p>\n Regular No.6 Shannon Frizell is missing after the All Blacks star was alleged to have been involved in an assault on a woman at a Dunedin bar.<\/a><\/p>\n In the backs, Michael Collins comes in at outside centre which pushes Patelesio Tomkinson to the right wing and Sam Gilbert to fullback.\u00a0<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Reds coach Brad Thorn has predictably made sweeping changes to his team given the short turnaround from Saturday's grand final and subsequent celebrations.<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> When rugby stars' prank went horribly wrong<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> Thor's heartbreaking Mother's Day interview<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> Shattered Brumbies question referee's calls<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Liam Wright and James O'Connor have been named co-captains and will both start while Suliasi Vunivalu is back from his hamstring injury and named on the bench.<\/p>\n The reserves are stacked with firepower including regular starters Taniela Tupou, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Fraser McReight.<\/p>\n Halfback Tate McDermott misses out completely as teenage gun Kalani Thomas makes his starting debut.<\/p>\n Dane Zander, Seru Uru and Filipo Daugunu have also been promoted to the run-on XV while Wallabies stars Harry Wilson (concussion) and Jordan Petaia (quadricep) are unavailable.<\/p>\n "The trans-Tasman is finally here and everyone's looking forward to it," said Thorn, who was born in Mosgiel, Otago, and played for the Highlanders in 2013-14.<\/p>\n "Super Rugby Aotearoa has been of a really high standard and it's a great opportunity to go up against the Kiwi teams again.<\/p>\n "We've got a short turnaround and the Highlanders will be a tough opponent down in Dunedin.<\/p>\n "Winning the title was a great reward for everyone involved \u2013 the players, the staff and also our Queensland supporters across this great state.<\/p>\n "It was great to get that trophy, but we've put it in the cabinet and we're focusing on our next job."<\/p>\n HIGHLANDERS (15-1):<\/strong> Sam Gilbert, Patelesio Tomkinson, Michael Collins, Scott Gregory, Jona Nareki, Mitch Hunt, Aaron Smith (co-c), Kazuki Himeno, Billy Harmon, Hugh Renton, Josh Dickson, Pari Pari Parkinson, Siate Tokolahi, Ash Dixon (co-c), Ayden Johnstone<\/p>\n Reserves:<\/strong> Liam Coltman, Ethan de Groot, Josh Hohneck, Bryn Evans, James Lentjes, Kayne Hammington, Tim O'Malley, Ngatugnane Punivai\u00a0<\/p>\n REDS (15-1):<\/strong> Bryce Hegarty, Filipo Daugunu, Josh Flook, Hamish Stewart, Jock Campbell, James O'Connor (co-c), Kalani Thomas, Seru Uru, Liam Wright (co-c), Angus Scott-Young, Angus Blyth, Ryan Smith, Feao Fotuaika, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Dane Zander<\/p>\n Reserves:<\/strong> Josh Nasser, Harry Hoopert, Taniela Tupou, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Fraser McReight, Moses Sorovi, Isaac Henry, Suliasi Vunivalu<\/p>\n Referee:<\/strong> Ben O'Keeffe (NZ)<\/p>\n WARATAHS vs HURRICANES, Friday 7.45pm AEST in Sydney<\/strong><\/p>\n WARATAHS (TBC)<\/strong><\/p>\n HURRICANES (TBC)<\/strong><\/p>\n Referee:<\/strong> Nic Berry (AUS)<\/p>\n CRUSADERS vs BRUMBIES, Saturday 5.05pm AEST in Christchurch<\/strong><\/p>\n CRUSADERS (TBC)<\/strong><\/p>\n BRUMBIES (TBC)<\/strong><\/p>\n Referee:<\/strong> Paul Williams (NZ)<\/p>\n REBELS vs BLUES, Saturday 7.45pm AEST in Melbourne<\/strong><\/p>\n REBELS (TBC)<\/strong><\/p>\n BLUES (TBC)<\/strong><\/p>\n Referee:<\/strong> Brendon Pickerill (NZ)<\/p>\n FORCE vs CHIEFS, Saturday 9.55pm AEST in Perth<\/strong><\/p>\n FORCE (TBC)<\/strong><\/p>\n CHIEFS (travelling squad):<\/strong> Aidan Ross, Angus Ta'avao, Bradley Slater, Joe Apikotoa, Josh Lord, Lachlan Boshier, Liam Messam, Luke Jacobson, Nathan Harris, Ollie Norris, Pita Gus Sowakula, Samisoni Taukei'aho, Sione Mafileo, Tupou Vaa'i, Zane Kapeli, Alex Nankivell, Anton Lienert-Brown, Bailyn Sullivan, Brad Weber, Bryn Gatland, Chase Tiatia, Damian McKenzie, Jonah Lowe, Rameka Poihipi, Shaun Stevenson, Xavier Roe<\/p>\n Referee:<\/strong> Damon Murphy (AUS)<\/p>\n For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Suliasi Vunivalu has recovered from a hamstring injury and will return for the Australian champion Reds in the Super Rugby trans-Tasman season opener against the […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69925"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=69925"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69925\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69927,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69925\/revisions\/69927"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=69925"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=69925"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=69925"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"Donaldson](\"https:\/\/vms-network-images-prod.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/2021\/04\/353931\/pickerImage.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Banks](\"https:\/\/vms-network-images-prod.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/2021\/05\/357482\/pickerImage.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Brilliant](\"https:\/\/vms-network-images-prod.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/2021\/05\/357465\/pickerImage.jpg\")
<\/p>\n