The Hurricanes welcome back three current All Blacks as they seek to heap more misery on the Lions midweekers tomorrow night.
Jordie Barrett, Ngani Laumape and Julian Savea have, despite two key All Blacks backline injuries, been released to their franchise as they seek to emulate the Blues and Highlandersin defeating the tourists. That means the Super Rugby defending champions, other than the absence of the 8-9-10 combination of Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara and Beauden Barrett, will be close to full strength.
There must be a very real possibility, given the quality of the Hurricanes lineup, that the Lions will not now win another game on tour, though Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd expected stern opposition tomorrow.
"I haven't had any discussion with Steve [Hansen] about [the release of players] at all," Boyd said. "Through the formal and normal channels, we inquired around who might potentially be available from the All Blacks.
"The four included were flagged about a week ago that they might be included. With the injuries from the test, I was fearing that a couple of those might be held back. But we received a text last night to say they had been released ... we have shuffled the deck accordingly."
The four includes Vaea Fifita, who debuted against Manu Samoa on June 16. He is named at blindside flanker.
"We always intended to name our strongest side possible out of due respect for the game, so to have those guys come back is great," said Boyd.
Cory Jane will come off the bench, as he did for the 2005 Wellington Lions against the touring Lions, a game in which Chris Boyd and John Plumtree were coaching, as they were in 2009 for the Sharks against the Lions in Durban.
Reserve halfback Kemara Hauiti-Parapara will probably make his Hurricanes debut before he plays for Wellington, having arrived back in the country a few days ago after a successful campaign - albeit as back-up No 9 - for the New Zealand Under 20s team in Georgia.
No less than seven of the 23 were involved in the Maori All Blacks' match against the Lions, so will be keen to reverse that result.
