Highlanders halfback Aaron Smith will come off the pine against the Blues in Auckland on Friday night.

Embattled Blues fans shouldn't take the benching of gun All Black Aaron Smith as a smack round the chops.

Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger has entrusted Kayne Hammington to start at halfback against the Auckland-based franchise at Eden Park on Friday night, but leaving Smith out of his starting XV for the first time this season has got nothing to do with the struggling 2-5 opposition.

Monday's All Blacks training camp in Christchurch, attended by Crusaders and Highlanders representatives, took Smith and six teammates out of action, and was at least partly behind Mauger's decision.

"We just feel [Kayne] is the right man for the job this week," Mauger said. "It's also a short week for us, and we had seven guys away at an All Black camp on Monday, so they have only had one training with the team this week."

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Four other Highlanders - fullback Ben Smith, wing Waisake Naholo, No 8 Luke Whitelock and flanker Dillon Hunt - who attended the camp will start the match, while hooker Liam Coltman has been rotated to the bench for co-captain Ash Dixon.

Coltman and loose forward Liam Squire, who is still on the mend from a broken thumb and isn't expected to play until the Highlanders meet the Sharks in Durban on May 5, also attended the camp.

"Kayne has done a great job leading the team for the first few days this week, and we've got the captain's run tomorrow before we head up to Auckland. I'm sure he'll be ready to fire come Friday night," Mauger said.

Hammington, 27, who like Smith represents Manawatū at the provincial level, started three games in his rookie season with the Highlanders last year, and has had a dash off the bench in four of the team's first six games so far this season.

"He's not a big man but he's really physical. He competes for everything, which is what we really love about him," Mauger said. "We just love the space that he lives in each game, he's in every moment and he's very competitive. That's what we want from our nines.

"On the whole, we're pretty happy with where the squad is at and we've got plenty of competition for places, which is a good place to be."

The only other new player in the match-day 23 to play the Blues is tighthead prop Tyrel Lomax, who comes in for Kalolo Tuiloma.

A season sweep over the Blues will extend the North Island side's winless streak against New Zealand teams to 15. Their last win against a fellow Kiwi side was in round one of the 2016 season, when they beat the Highlanders at Eden Park.

DIANNE MANSON/GETTY IMAGES Kayne Hammington will start his first game of the season for the Highlanders at Eden Park on Friday night.

The injury-ravaged Blues - they have 18 players unavailable – have been forced to name a vastly different team to the one which went down 41-34 to the Highlanders in Dunedin in the teams' season opener.

Most notably, coach Tana Umaga has shifted Stephen Perofeta from first-five to fullback in the wake of Michael Collins' (broken hand) injury, meaning Bryn Gatland will start with the No 10 jersey on his back.

All Black Rieko Ioane, having played in the midfield in recent weeks, has been shifted back to the left-wing and will line up opposite fellow All Black Naholo.

AT A GLANCE

Blues v Highlanders

Friday, 7.35pm

Auckland, Eden Park

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen

TAB Odds: Highlanders $1.37, Blues $3.05

Highlanders: Ben Smith (co-captain), Waisake Naholo, Rob Thompson, Tei Walden, Tevita Li, Lima Sopoaga, Kayne Hammington, Luke Whitelock, Dillon Hunt, Shannon Frizell, Tom Franklin, Jackson Hemopo, Siate Tokolahi, Ash Dixon (co-captain), Daniel Lienert-Brown. Reserves: Liam Coltman, Aki Seiuli, Tyrel Lomax, Alex Ainley, Elliot Dixon, Aaron Smith, Fletcher Smith, Matt Faddes

Blues: Stephen Perofeta, Jordan Hyland, Orbyn Leger, TJ Faiane, Rieko Ioane, Bryn Gatland, Jonathan Ruru, Akira Ioane, Kara Pryor, Dalton Papalii, Jimmy Tupou, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ofa Tuungafasi/Mike Tamoaieta, James Parsons, Pauliasi Manu. Reserves: Matt Moulds/Leni Apisai, Ross Wright, Mike Tamoaieta/Sione Mafileo, Ben Neenee, 20. Murphy Taramai, Sam Nock, Tumua Manu, Matt Duffie

GIVEAWAY: Specsavers and Investec Super Rugby are giving Auckland Stuff readers the chance to win a double pass to the Blues v Highlanders match at Eden Park on Friday. Go to the Rugby Stuff Facebook page, for the competition details.