All Blacks winger Hosea Gear returns from injury in one of just two changes to the struggling Hurricanes for Saturday night's crunch Super Rugby match against the Bulls at McLean Park in Napier.

Coach Mark Hammett has kept largely with the same team that fell to an embarrassing 42-25 loss to the Rebels at Melbourne last Friday.

Gear's return to the left wing in place of Andre Taylor, and flanker Serge Lilo's inclusion at the expense of Faifili Levave, are the only two changes to the starting 15.

It will be Gear's first match since suffering a shoulder injury in the dying minutes of their season-opening 14-9 loss to the Highlanders at Wellington.

The Hurricanes have won one of five matches and are ninth on the overall standings with 12 points, five behind the seventh-placed Bulls, who have a three-win, two loss record.

Saturday's match will be the first Hurricanes fixture at Napier since 2003.

Hurricanes: Cory Jane, Julian Savea, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Hosea Gear, Daniel Kirkpatrick, Chris Eaton, Victor Vito, Serge Lilo, Jack Lam, Jason Eaton, Jeremy Thrush, Neemia Tialata, Andrew Hore (Capt), John Schwalger. Reserves: Dane Coles, Jacob Ellison, James Broadhurst, Mark Reddish, Tyson Keats, Aaron Cruden, Charlie Ngatai.

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