Hurricanes rugby coach Colin Cooper has every confidence transplanted halfback Piri Weepu will prove a revelation at first five-eighth.
He would have to say that, of course, because he has selected the All Blacks halfback to start in the No 10 jersey for the Super 14 match against the Bulls at Westpac Stadium here on Saturday.
Weepu's mid-season conversion to first five-eighth reflects Cooper's dissatisfaction with his two No 10s, Jimmy Gopperth and Blair Stewart.
He tired of Gopperth's inconsistencies before using the inexperienced Stewart to start the previous three matches, then pulled him off during last weekend's loss 7-30 to the Lions in Johannesburg to have a look at Weepu in that role.
Cooper saw enough to feel justified in promoting Weepu to start at No 10 on Saturday when he will also undertake the goalkicking duties as the Hurricanes look to stem the bleeding.
They have lost their last four matches to slip to 11th on the standings, an alarming fall from grace after contesting the 2006 final, and now confront the prospect of dropping five successive matches for the first time in Super history.
Cooper will cross his fingers that Weepu comes up trumps against the fourth-placed Bulls because his options will be few and far between should the combative Wellingtonian struggle.
He has few qualms about pitching Weepu in the deep end, even happily admitting he has no idea when the thick set No 9 last started a game at No 10.
Weepu has not done so at first-class level, but was the starting first five-eighth for his club at least once last season.
"He's going to fit the pattern of play we want to play against the Bulls," was Cooper's succinct justification for making such a significant switch.
"We liked what we saw from him last week. He has a very high skill set, and I think he fancies himself as a 10 also.
"It's a good opportunity for him to expand his skill set."
Cooper produced a neat side step when asked whether he viewed Weepu's changed role as a short or medium term fix.
"I'm not sure about that. We will make that judgment after we see him start and see how he controls the pattern of play we want to use against the Bulls."
Weepu has been practising at 10 all week, and Cooper is convinced he's his man to help arrest the team's slide.
"He has a good tactical kick, he reads the opposition well, and that's why we want to see him start."
Cooper has made a number of changes to his backline, with Alby Mathewson servicing Weepu from halfback, Ma'a Nonu returning from a month out due to injury to replace Tana Umaga at second five-eighth and Shannon Paku replacing Lome Fa'atau on the wing.
The pack, with their five returning All Blacks -- Jerry Collins, Chris Masoe, Rodney So'oialo, Jason Eaton and Andrew Hore -- remain unchanged, but Cooper is demanding more than they delivered last weekend.
"Their first game back was always going to be a bit rough because they had no pre-season," he said of his returning All Blacks, sidelined from the early rounds to undertake reconditioning at the behest of the national selectors.
"It was a hard call of them but we were in a position where we needed them to start.
"A week's training with us, then a game and another week's training ... hopefully they're another step ahead again."
The Bulls will fancy their changes against the malfunctioning Hurricanes.
Their win over the Highlanders in Dunedin last weekend was their third on the road, already making it the most successful touring venture by any South African side in Super history.
As well, they won the last two times they played the Hurricanes in New Zealand, winning 46-34 at Napier in 2003 and 21-12 in Wellington in 2005.
Hurricanes: Cory Jane, Shannon Paku, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Hosea Gear, Piri Weepu, Alby Mathewson, Rodney So'oialo (captain), Chris Masoe, Jerry Collins, Jason Eaton, Paul Tito, Neemia Tialata, Andrew Hore, John Schwalger.
Reserves: Mahonri Schwalger, Anthony Perenise, Bradley Mika, Luke Andrews, Jimmy Gopperth, David Smith, Tamati Ellison.