Ma’a Nonu will join the elite 150-cap club this weekend as Super Rugby table toppers the Hurricanes put their perfect record on the line against the Stormers in Wellington.
The Canes and All Blacks centre – who played against the British & Irish Lions in 2005 – becomes only the fourth name on a list that includes Keven Mealamu, Corey Flynn and Nathan Sharpe who have appeared in 150 games in Super Rugby.
This week's Hurricanes side includes the return of All Blacks Beauden Barrett, Julian Savea and Ben Franks to the starting line-up after being rested last week while Nehe Milner-Skudder also comes back into the starting line-up at fullback.
Loose forward Blade Thomson continues to recover from a head knock, while All Blacks hooker Dane Coles was also unavailable for selection due to the elbow injury he suffered against the Blues.
On Saturday the Chiefs host the Blues in an all-New Zealand clash and the Hamilton-based side are boosted by the return of IRB World Player of the Year for 2014 Brodie Retallick.
The lock returns from a shoulder injury to make the starting XV as the Chiefs bid to keep pace with the Canes atop the New Zealand conference standings.
The Blues meanwhile are still waiting for their first win in 2015 and they will be without All Black prop Tony Woodcock for the Chiefs clash.
Woodcock has failed to pass a concussion test so Blues coach Sir John Kirwan has brought Ofa Tu'ungafasi into the starting line up as one of six changes to the team that lost to the Waratahs.
Meanwhile Crusaders head coach Todd Blackadder has named a Super Rugby team with seven changes to the side that played the Bulls for this week's trip to Durban to take on the Sharks.
All Black Dan Carter is unavailable to play as he has returned to New Zealand awaiting the birth of his second child, which means Colin Slade moves back into fly-half while Matt Todd returns to the No.7 jersey this week and Richie McCaw will provide loose forward cover from the bench.
The Highlanders will enjoy a bye week along with defending champions the Waratahs and the Western Force while elsewhere in round 8 there is an Aussie derby as the Rebels host the Reds, the Brumbies take on the Cheetahs and the Bulls visit the Lions in an all-South African encounter.
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