Rugby: Nehe Milner-Skudder to make Hurricanes return

Nehe Milner-Skudder. Photo / Getty

Nehe Milner-Skudder will make his Hurricanes comeback via the bench in Saturday night's round 15 clash with the Western Force in Perth.

The find of the 2015 season has had to be patient, having broken two bones in his foot on March 10 against the Chiefs in Hamilton. Since then, as the days have turned into weeks and into months, he has seen his chances of playing the Lions recede. But his return is timely, a chance to make an impression against the Force and then the Chiefs on June 9. In his favour is the fact that Israel Dagg, with whom he is possibly fighting for an All Blacks berth, was tentative in his Crusaders comeback last weekend and is now benched for Saturday's clash with the Highlanders.

"It's great to have Nehe back in the mix. I know he's worked extremely hard during his rehab and he can't wait to pull on the Hurricanes jersey and get back into the campaign," says Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd said.

Beauden Barrett, too, returns after missing the victory over the Bulls. Boyd says he passed his concussion protocols and satisfied the medical team he was symptom-free and ready to play.

Cory Jane replaces Wes Goosen, who injured his shoulder, on the right wing, while Ben Lam, who has made a considerable impact off the bench in the last two games after taking out frustrations on hapless Swindale Shield club defences for Tawa, suits up in the No 11 jersey, keeping Julian Savea's 100th Hurricanes appearance on ice for another week.

In the forwards, Callum Gibbins replaces Ardie Savea at openside, though Savea, who was concussed against the Bulls, has recovered enough to take his place on the bench. Reed Prinsep starts at blindside, and Ben May takes over at tighthead prop from Jeff Toomaga-Allen. Prinsep's return to the starting XV pushes Vaea Fifita back to lock and allows Mark Abbott to ease onto the reserves where Toomaga-Allen appears for the first time after starting the first 12 matches of 2017.

In all, Boyd has made six changes from the side that beat the Bulls 34-20 last weekend.

The Force defeated the Reds comfortably in Brisbane last round, but have left their run too late to try and topple the Brumbies and claim the weak Australian conference crown.

It is 10 years since the Force beat the Hurricanes in Perth thanks to a late Cameron Shepherd conversion, prompting a magnanimous Tana Umaga to comment that the 18-17 win was a great boon for rugby in Australia's west. It was the Force's first home Super Rugby victory in more than a year of action. But any similar heroics at nib Stadium this weekend would come as a profound shock, with Australian franchises still yet to get off the mark against their trans-Tasman rivals in 2017.

Hurricanes: Jordie Barrett, Cory Jane, Vince Aso, Ngani Laumape, Ben Lam, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara (c), Brad Shields, Callum Gibbins, Reed Prinsep, Vaea Fifita, Sam Lousi, Ben May, Ricky Riccitelli, Loni Uhila

Reserves: Leni Apisai, Chris Eves, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Mark Abbott, Ardie Savea, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Otere Black, Nehe Milner-Skudder