Injury-plagued Dan Carter has been forced out of the Crusaders side to face the Highlanders as fellow All Black Israel Dagg returns to action.
Dagg will slot in at fullback for Saturday's Super Rugby match in Dunedin, allowing Colin Slade to move to five-eighth in Carter's absence.
Carter was forced from the field after taking a leg knock in the Crusaders' 20-10 loss to the Melbourne Rebels in last week's opener.
The injury to his lower right leg was not related to the small fracture he suffered in the same leg in the Super Rugby final last year.
He missed the All Blacks' Rugby Championship Tests last year and only featured in two of their Tests on the end of year tour - against United States and Scotland.
The inclusion of Dagg in the starting line-up is one of five changes made by coach Todd Blackadder after a poor showing first up from last year's beaten finalists.
All Black prop Wyatt Crockett is promoted from the bench in place of fellow international Joe Moody, while lock Scott Barrett relegates Dominic Bird to the bench and Ryan Crotty slots into the midfield for Tom Taylor.
Blackadder resisted the urge to rush former All Black Andy Ellis back into the side after the halfback returned from a stint in Japan this week.
Crusaders: Israel Dagg, Robbie Fruean, Kieron Fonotia, Ryan Crotty, Johnny McNicholl, Colin Slade, Mitchell Drummond, Luke Whitelock, Matt Todd (captain), Richie McCaw, Scott Barrett, Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Ben Funnell, Wyatt Crockett. Bench: Codie Taylor, Joe Moody, Nepo Laulala, Dominic Bird, Jordan Taufua, Billy Guyton, Tom Taylor, Nafi Tuitavake.
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