Having escaped further sanction from the judiciary, Blues and All Blacks prop Ofa Tuunagfasi is set to bring up his 100th Super Rugby game when he takes the field against the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday night.
Tuungafasi has been named on the bench for the game that will see him become the eighth Blues player to reach a century of matches for the Auckland based franchise.
Tuungafasi was sin binned in last weekend's loss against the Crusaders for an illegal clean out at a ruck.
Blues prop Ofa Tuungafasi cools his heels after being yellow carded during the Super Rugby Aotearoa rugby match between the Blues and the Crusaders. Photo: Photosport
He was cited and appeared before the judiciary which ruled the yellow card was sufficient penalty.
Blues coach Leon MacDonald is pleased he has Tuungafasi to call upon but feels the yellow card wasn't warranted.
"I commented after the game that it appeared to us that Ofa had done everything right in entering from the back of the breakdown, he lowered his body and never left his feet," he said.
"His role is to clear out bodies trying to slow down the ball at the breakdown - and he did it very accurately."
In a statment the judiciary said that while a red card wasn't warranted "nor (was it) satisfied that the match referee was wrong in his issuing a yellow card."
"We are thrilled to see Ofa get to 100 games. He is a consummate professional, a quiet but very astute player, an immense and powerful prop and a quiet and outstanding human," said MacDonald.
"We have him with us through to 2024 which is fantastic and by that time he might just threaten 150 games in blue."
The Blues however will be without suspended hooker Kurt Eklund who has been stood down for three games after pleading guilty to a foul play charge also arising from the Crusaders game.
All Black loose forward Dalton Papalii and winger Mark Telea both return after missing a week with due to concussion knocks while halfback Finlay Christie makes his first start of the season following time out with injury.
Damian McKenzie Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Meanwhile the Chiefs have made three changes from the side that beat the Hurricanes.
In the only change to the forward pack, rookie Samipeni Finau has been promoted from the bench to start at lock in place of All Black lock Tupou Vaa'i who has been ruled out after sustaining a concussion against the Hurricanes.
Sean Wainui has been named to start on the left wing in his 50th Super Rugby game. Wainui made his Super Rugby debut in 2016 for the Crusaders before heading north to pull on the Chiefs jersey in 2018.
Māori All Blacks outside back Shaun Stevenson returns to start after in-form back Jonah Lowe was ruled out due to sickness.
