The Blues will have some significant impact coming off their bench in Saturday's Super Rugby Pacific final against the Crusaders, with All Blacks flanker Dalton Papalii declared fit to play.
Papalii was pencilled in with a spot on the bench earlier this week when coach Leon MacDonald named his team for the match as he was still recovering from appendix surgery which had kept him out of the Blues' playoff run this year.
"He's got a few boxes to tick today, he's got to get through a big part of today's training and feel really confident," MacDonald said at training on Thursday.
"It's a big game for him to have any doubts so we want him to come off the grass like he's ready to go."
The Blues confirmed late Saturday afternoon that Papalii is good to go, meaning lock James Tucker who had been named alongside him in the No.20 jersey will drop out of the matchday 23.
With Papalii on the bench, Adrian Choat will again start for the Blues at openside flanker while star first-five Beauden Barrett will remain captain.
Updated Blues line-up
1. Alex Hodgman, 2. Kurt Eklund, 3. Nepo Laulala, 4. Josh Goodhue, 5. Tom Robinson, 6. Akira Ioane, 7. Adrian Choat, 8. Hoskins Sotutu, 9. Finlay Christie, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. AJ Lam, 12. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 13. Rieko Ioane, 14. Mark Telea, 15. Stephen Perofeta
Reserves: 16. Soane Vikena, 17. Karl Tu’inukuafe, 18. Ofa Tuungafasi, 19. Luke Romano, 20. Dalton Papalii, 21. Sam Nock, 22. Bryce Heem, 23. Zarn Sullivan
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