Ma'a Nonu will start in the midfield for the Hurricanes' crunch Super 14 match against the Bulls in Pretoria on Sunday, while All Blacks prop Neemia Tialata shifts to the bench.
Nonu, who had been used on the wing so far this year, will start at second five-eighth in tandem with All Blacks centre Conrad Smith in a game the seventh-placed Hurricanes must win to stay in touch with the top four.
Tim Fairbrother starts at tighthead prop ahead of Tialata who is one of two props on a bench that includes five forwards as the Hurricanes anticipate a titanic battle up front.
"If ever there was a time to use a five-two split, this is it," coach Colin Cooper said from Pretoria last night.
"It's going to be a big battle up front and Tim is the fresh tighthead prop. His selection was quite straightforward as far as I'm concerned."
The other change to the pack sees Jeremy Thrush replace Craig Clarke at lock, while Alby Mathewson and Tamati Ellison provide all the cover for the backs.
Nonu's shift could help Smith who has been tireless on defence but rather stunted on attack.
Capped 12 times for the All Blacks, Smith is struggling without the physicality of Tana Umaga at second-five and has battled to create space and play for his wings.
The Hurricanes have scored only 16 tries in their seven games with hooker Andrew Hore and flanker Chris Masoe the top try-scorers with three each.
Of the outside backs, Nonu and Shannon Paku have scored twice, Hosea Gear's poor record continues with just one try and Cory Jane is yet to score.
The break Smith made that led to the controversial 'no try' in the final minute against the Sharks was a rare sight, but it was significant that Nonu started the move.
The Hurricanes will need more of the same against a Bulls side desperate for redemption as their title defence has spluttered out with two wins from eight games leaving them 13th on the table.
Coach Frans Ludeke is a dead man walking and admits any hope of making the playoffs went with the loss to the Force last week.
"I am 100 per cent responsible and it is a pity that we are here. Hopefully, we will make our supporters proud in our next four games at Loftus.
"We just need to grow from this and I believe we will. In the last two games of the tour we played some good rugby."
Cooper agrees the Bulls were not far off it in their narrow defeats to the Force and Bulls and is wary of the beast the Hurricanes will encounter, especially if fans turn up in their numbers to Loftus.
Meanwhile, the Bulls have named an unchanged lineup from the one that lost 14-15 to the Western Force in Perth last weekend.
