Benji Marshall will make his first Super Rugby start for the Blues when they take on the Lions at Ellis Park in Johannesburg early on Sunday.
The former NRL star has been named at fullback in a Blues side featuring five changes from the one beaten 38-22 by the Bulls last week.
Marshall said he’d been looking forward to another taste of Super Rugby after the brief 20-minute taste he got against the Highlanders in round two.
“I’ve had to have a bit of patience, bide my time a bit and the time has come so I’m looking forward to the challenge,” he said.
Marshall conceded it had been a challenging few weeks after not coming off the bench against the Crusaders and being left out of the match day 23 last week.
“It’s a bit of the other side of the coin for me, I’m used to being in a starting line-up in league and then coming back and having to be a bit more patient.
“You’ve just got to take your opportunities and this is my chance.”
Blues coach Sir John Kirwan said Marshall had been training well at fullback.
“We’re keeping with the theme of really trying to create some internal competition and although that’s sometimes difficult to do when you haven’t had a win, we believe in what we’re doing,” he said.
“We believe Benji deserves a start at fullback, he’s jumping out of his skin, he’s ready to go, he’s spent the last couple of weeks really refining that role, so we’ll put him in there.”
Charles Piutau moves from fullback to wing to accommodate Marshall, and youngster Tevita Li drops out of the side.
After adding plenty of spark and scoring a try on debut last week, Pita Ahki is rewarded with a start at inside centre in place of Jackson Willison, while Chris Noakes replaces Simon Hickey at five-eighth.
In the forwards, Peter Saili is suffering from a patella tendon injury, and Steven Luatua moves to the back of the scrum to replace him.
Brendon O’Connor will get his first start of the season at blindside flanker and Patrick Tuipulotu replaces Liaki Moli at lock.
Blues: Benji Marshall, Frank Halai, George Moala, Pita Ahki, Charles Piutau, Chris Noakes, Piri Weepu, Steven Luatua, Luke Braid, Brendon O’Connor, Tom Donnelly, Patrick Tuipulotu, Charlie Faumuina, James Parsons, Tony Woodcock.
Reserves: Tom McCartney, Sam Prattley, Angus Ta’avao, Liaki Moli, Jordan Manihera, Bryn Hall, Simon Hickey, Jackson Willison.