Rugby: Blues could trip up Canes

George Moala 12 gets a try at the Auckland Blues vs Bulls Super Rugby match at Eden Park. Photo / Jason Dorday

It should be a walk in Eden Park.

The Blues barely have enough troops to pick a match-day 23; they are down on loose forwards, experienced players and direction from their board.

But through all of their turmoil in 2015, to go along with their 3-13 record, the Blues could play spoilers for the Hurricanes tonight.

Chris Boyd's Hurricanes are chasing the top seed for the Super Rugby playoffs and two wins from their final four games would take any mathematics out of the thinking.

Meeting the Blues on their home turf in Auckland has this nagging banana skin feel to it, considering all three of the Blues' wins this year have come at the hallowed Eden Park.

"They've had a pretty good home season and I know they place a lot of emphasis on fortress Eden Park," Boyd said of the Blues.

"They've got quality players there and the boys love going to Eden Park and playing the Blues, so, business as usual for us."

Except it hasn't been business as usual in Hurricanes country this week.

Skipper Conrad Smith has been rested, while an Achilles injury has taken prop Ben Franks out and suspension has seen fellow starting bookend Reggie Goodes removed.

The backline stocks have got thinner by the week for the Hurricanes with injuries tearing through their depth recently.

That worsened yesterday with wing Cory Jane and lock James Broadhurst ruled out, forcing a rejig with Willis Halaholo coming in for his Super Rugby debut, starting on the wing or in the midfield and Mark Abbott moving into the second row in place of Broadhurst.

Boyd has given a rare start to Rey Lee-Lo who will pull on the No 13 jersey tonight in place of Smith.

"The tough gig in a Super Rugby team is being at the back end of the roster and you just do an awful lot of training," Boyd said.

"So I don't have any doubt that Rey has got the ability to play 80 minutes if he needs to."

Lee-Lo has had limited chances this season but was impressive in the early stages of the season during the Hurricanes' trip to South Africa with his reliable defence.

Boyd said Southland midfielder Halaholo had trained the house down all year.

"So I'm happy that he can get rewarded for his effort in game time."

Veteran Jeremy Thrush will captain the 11-1 Hurricanes and the lock said it was more about what they brought to Eden Park rather than what the Blues could do.

"We'll focus on what we need to do and how we are going to play the game and put a little bit of effort in to them but I think we need to switch back on to how we want to go and get our game going good again."