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Playmakers Beauden Barrett and Quade Cooper will lock horns in the Hurricanes' Super Rugby match against Melbourne as a possible precursor to a Test rivalry.
Beauden Barrett will lead the Hurricanes against the Melbourne Rebels, coming face to face with possible Australian Test rival Quade Cooper for the first time in three years.
Hurricanes coach John Plumtree has rested halfback TJ Perenara for Saturday's Super Rugby match in Wellington, handing All Blacks five-eighth Barrett the vacant captaincy duties.
It will be the first time since a 2016 Bledisloe Cup Test, also at Westpac Stadium, that Barrett and Cooper have squared off in the No.10 jersey.
It's five years since they did so at Super Rugby level.
Given Cooper's form for the Australian Conference-leading Rebels, there is every chance the pair will match wits in twin Bledisloe Cup Tests in August.
Hurricanes coach John Plumtree believed 70-Test veteran Cooper, 31, had boosted the Rebels attack since his defection from the Queensland Reds.
"Any time you bring a player back with that type of experience to a group, as long as he's got a positive influence, it's always going to be good for the team.
"He's growing as a person and I'm sure, just looking at their performances, that he has had a positive influence and that's great."
Plumtree said Cooper's combination with long-time halves partner Will Genia was an obvious Rebels strength and gave them an unpredictability that was hard to plan for.
"We have to make sure we apply some pressure on them to upset their rhythm. If we don't it could be a long day for us."
Plumtree has made just three starting changes to the Hurricanes team who thrashed the Chiefs 47-19 last week.
Richard Judd replaces Perenara while prop Jefferey Toomaga-Allen and lock Isaiah Walker-Leawere come in for Ben May and Kane Leaupepe respectively.
There are multiple changes to the bench, including the return from an ankle injury for former Wallabies prop Toby Smith.
Plumtree doesn't expect the changes to stifle a new-found potency out wide for the second-placed Hurricanes, who are on a three-game winning streak.
"It's just up to the forwards to give them the ball that they need and hopefully they can set that park on fire like they did at times last week."
HURRICANES
Jordie Barrett, Wes Goosen, Matt Proctor, Ngani Laumape, Chase Tiatia, Beauden Barrett (capt), Richard Judd, Reed Prinsep, Ardie Savea, Vaea Fifita, Isaia Walker-Leawere, James Blackwell, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Asafo Aumua, Fraser Armstrong. Res: Ricky Riccitelli, Toby Smith, Alex Fidow, Kane Leaupepe, Liam Mitchell, DuPlessis Kirifi, Finlay Christie, James Marshall.
