* Hurricanes v Force
* Westpac Stadium, 7.35 tonight
The demeanour was as calm as ever, but coach Colin Cooper's blunt answers suggest lock Jason Eaton isn't flavour of the month in the Hurricanes rugby changing rooms.
All Black Eaton will miss tonight's Super 14 match against the Western Force in Wellington after being stood down for a breach
of team protocol.
Team management won't divulge the nature of the breach, but it is understood it is over an incident when a barman refused to serve him drinks.
Veteran Hurricanes coach Cooper was clearly unimpressed with the 15-test All Black, who he said had no cause for complaint.
"No new policy, it's always been in, that's why it's disappointing," said Cooper. "The policy's been broken, that's the consequence, it costs you your jersey."
Cooper said the 27-year-old would miss only this week's game at this stage, but had put his future starting place in jeopardy.
"He'll have to sit and wait now. He's given someone else an opportunity."
That someone is Canterbury draft selection James Broadhurst, who will make his Super 14 debut in a new-look locking combination.
Michael Paterson, who played lock in last week's 34-20 defeat of the Blues, moves to the blindside flank in place of Nick Crosswell, creating room in the second row for Bryn Evans.
The match is significant for Evans, 25, who hasn't started a match for seven months since undergoing surgery for a disc prolapse to his back.
The timing of the injury was disastrous for the Hawkes Bay leaper, a surprise All Blacks selection in June who made two test appearances off the reserve bench against France.
"It's been a long road back with all the rehab. The physios have done a great job and I'm feeling nearly back to full fitness," said Evans.
"I had a lot of pain down the side of my leg so that's gone away. It's a positive outcome."
Evans took a philosophical attitude to the injury and said he would do his utmost to impress, whether in a starting role or off the bench, where he spent ample time last season behind Eaton and Jeremy Thrush.
"You're playing a contact sport, injury is just one of those things that happens that you put down to bad luck.
"The trainers have been pushing me hard and I'm just happy to be back in the team environment."
The team's other change comes out wide, where David Smith comes on to the left wing for game-breaking Hosea Gear, who is sidelined for at least a month after undergoing surgery on a knee cartilage tear.
Cooper said Gear, who scored his team's only try against the Blues, was very disappointed after a knee injury ruled him out of the second half of last year's campaign.
A newcomer to the reserve bench is veteran All Black No 8 Rodney So'oialo, who missed selection last week while undergoing a weight-gain regime.
Centre Conrad Smith will play his 50th match for the Hurricanes.
Former Hurricane Thomas Waldrom has reportedly signed to play for leading English club Leicester.
Hawke's Bay Today said Waldrom, 26, would leave for England at the end of his Super 14 season with the Crusaders, meaning he won't play a second season with Hawkes Bay in the Air NZ Cup.
Waldrom played 80 matches for Wellington before shifting to Hawkes Bay last year, while his Super rugby allegiances also switched from the Hurricanes to the Crusaders.
The move south brought regular playing time for the burly loose forward, who produced a storming season for the Crusaders.
HURRICANES v FORCE
Hurricanes
Cory Jane
Tamati Ellison
Conrad Smith
Ma'a Nonu
David Smith
Willie Ripia
Piri Weepu
Victor Vito
Scott Waldrom
Michael Paterson
James Broadhurst
Bryn Evans
Neemia Tialata
Andrew Hore (c)
John Schwalger
Reserves: Dane Coles, Jacob Ellison, Rodney So'oialo, Karl Lowe, Tyson Keats, Aaron Cruden, Andre Taylor.
Force
James O'Connor
D. Haylett-Petty
Mitch Inman
Josh Tatupu
Haig Sare
Sam Harris
Brett Sheehan
Sam Wykes
Matt Hodgson
Ben McCalman
Nathan Sharpe (c)
Tom Hockings
Tim Fairbrother
Pek Cowan
Matt Dunning
Reserves: Ryan Tyrrell, Nic Henderson, Richard Stanford, Luke Jones, Chris O'Young, Stefano Hunt, Joelin Rapana.
- NZPA
