Super Rugby centurion and former All Black Tanerau Latimer is in the frame to make his Blues debut on Saturday night.
Latimer, who has been sidelined with a calf injury and still needs to pass a final fitness test, has been bracketed with Kara Pryor for the No.7 jersey against the Sharks in Auckland.
His inclusion comes after news that stand-out young flanker Blake Gibson will miss a large chunk of the season after fracturing a thumb in training this week.
Latimer, 29, played 109 times for the Chiefs and gained five Test caps before heading to Japan.
Apart from Gibson’s unavailability, there is one other change to the Blues’ starting line-up from the 29-23 defeat to the competition leading Chiefs last week.
Fullback Lolagi Visinia, who was a late withdrawal because of a training ground injury, comes back in for the dumped Melani Nanai.
The team will wear black armbands at Eden Park and there will be a moment’s silence before the game in memory of Blues lock Kurtis Haiu, who died of bone cancer at the age of 31.
Blues: Lolagi Visinia, Rieko Ioane, Rene Ranger, Piers Francis, Tevita Li, Ihaia West, Bryn Hall, Steven Luatua, Tanerau Latimer/Kara Pryor, Jerome Kaino (capt), Josh Bekhuis, Hoani Matenga, Charlie Faumuina, James Parsons, Sam Prattley. Res: Quentin MacDonald, Namatahi Waa, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Kara Pryor/Joe Edwards, Akira Ioane, Billy Guyton, Matt McGahan, George Moala.
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