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Leon MacDonald includes rookie lock Sam Darry as surprise starter to face Highlanders on Sunday.

App users click here for latest updates Hurricanes 16 Blues 31 Blues (Papalii, Carke, Perofeta, Ioane tries; Black 4 conversion, 1 penalty) Full time 80 mins - The Hurricanes have one final opportunity to attack on their own 22. After seven phases the attack comes to nothing and the Blues grab first blood.  77 mins - TRY BLUES to Rieko Ioane The Hurricanes go for a risky crossfield kick which Barrett and Umaga-Jensen make a meal of. It falls to Ioane who sprints 60m to seal the deal. Black converts the try. (BLU 31-16) 75 mins - PENALTY GOAL BLUES to Otere Black The Blues are attacking jus...

Hannah Peters/Getty Images Patrick Tuipulotu and the Blues have big ambitions in 2021, but as always will have to get past the Crusaders first. Leon MacDonald gets them. A lot. You know the people, rushing up to him at the supermarket, or the café, or in the street, full of hope and excitement, proclaiming: “This is our year.” The Blues coach tends to smile and nod reassuringly. He loves the optimism as much as he treasures the support. Who is he to point out how tough that pathway is and how difficult the Crusaders are to budge from that throne.

In all, there are seven All Blacks in the starting line-up for the Blues. But it’s the selection of the 27-year-old Lay, who previously played under former Blues coach Pat Lam, that has raised the most eyebrows. Getty-Images Leon MacDonald is looking for Karl Tu’inukuafe to make a big impact off the bench against the Hurricanes. “James has performed well for us in the preseason and Karl is going well and he’s got unique strength, especially around scrummaging,” MacDonald said. “It’s around balancing our team to give us an all round 80 minute performance that in this game in ...

The Blues coach has plenty of All Blacks grunt to choose from in his front row, but has sprung a surprise against the Hurricanes on Saturday night.