Argentina loose forward Pablo Matera will make his first appearance for the Crusaders in their Super Rugby Pacific opener against the Hurricanes in Dunedin on Saturday.

The Crusaders’ match-day 23 include nine All Blacks: Joe Moody, captain Scott Barrett, Samuel Whitelock, vice-captain David Havili, Braydon Ennor, George Bridge, Will Jordan, George Bower and Sevu Reece.

Meanwhile, Argentina loose forward and former Jaguares captain Matera is set to become Crusader No 252 when he makes his debut on the blindside.

“On the first day, I thought I had run twice as much as when I trained with Argentina and then when I saw my GPS [figures], they were more or less the same. It’s the rhythm,” Matera told the Super Rugby website.

“They try to play at the fastest tempo possible and going from one place to another and not wasting any time.

“That’s the biggest change, and the biggest challenge, for me,” he said.

Fergus Burke has been handed the No 10 jersey following a solid pre-season campaign, while former Blues and Hurricanes flyhalf Simon Hickey has been named on the bench in his debut season for the Crusaders.

The rest of the reserves also offer plenty of impact, including 22-year-old Canterbury hooker Shilo Klein, who will provide cover for Brodie McAlister in the absence of vice-captain Codie Taylor.

Crusaders – 15 Will Jordan, 14 George Bridge, 13 Braydon Ennor, 12 David Havili, 11 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 10 Fergus Burke, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Cullen Grace, 7 Tom Christie, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Scott Barrett (c), 3 Oli Jager, 2 Brodie McAlister, 1 Joe Moody.
Subs: 16 Shilo Klein, 17 George Bower, 18 Tamaiti Williams, 19 Quinten Strange, 20 Mitch Dunshea, 21 Mitch Drummond, 22 Simon Hickey, 23 Sevu Reece.

Photo: Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images for NZR