Wales fly-half Rhys Patchell poised to make Super Rugby Pacific debut

Wales fly-half Rhys Patchell is set to make his Super Rugby Pacific debut for the Highlanders on Saturday against Moana Pasifika in Dunedin.

The 30-year-old's one-year move to the New Zealand franchise was confirmed in July last year, and after featuring for them in pre-season he is set to make his Super Rugby debut in the opening round of the season.

The 22-cap international will partner All Blacks scrumhalf Folau Fakatava as a halfback duo, in a team that also features four more debutants.

Patchell joined his longtime Wales and Scarlets teammate Leigh Halfpenny in making the move to Super Rugby this season. The fullback joined the Crusaders after the World Cup, but suffered a pectoral muscle in a preseason match with Munster, which will leave him out of action for months.

Looking ahead to the game, Highlanders head coach Clarke Dermody said: “We’ve had a solid pre-season where we’ve witnessed healthy competition around the paddock. The players who have earned their place in the starting line-up this week have done so through their preseason performances and the coaching team and I are looking forward to seeing those performances come together on Saturday.”

Highlanders XV

1. Daniel Lienert-Brown

2. Henry Bell*

3. Saula Ma’u

4. Pari Pari Parkinson

5. Fabian Holland

6. Sean Withy

7. Billy Harmon (C)

8. Hugh Renton

9. Folau Fakatava

10. Rhys Patchell*

11. Jona Nareki

12. Sam Gilbert (VC)

13. Tanielu Tele’a*

14. Timoci Tavatavanawai*

15. Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens*

Replacements

16. Jack Taylor

17. Ayden Johnstone

18. Jermaine Ainsley

19. Oliver Haig

20. Nikora Broughton

21. Nathan Hastie

22. Cameron Millar

23. Jonah Lowe

*Highlanders debutant