Super Rugby

24-year-old Filipo Daugunu has signed a four-year deal with the Queensland team which could see him press his case for selection in the Wallabies.

Daugunu is finally eligible for the national side after moving to Australia three years ago and signing on with the Reds gives the former football goal-keeper a straightforward run to the Wallabies.

“I’m very happy to stay at Queensland,” Daugunu has said of his new contract.

He is the second marquee player to be missing from the Wellington Hurricanes after All Blacks fullback Beauden Barrett transferred to the Auckland Blues.

Savea, a finalist for the world player of the year, revealed the extent of the knee injury in an Instagram post when he said he could be sidelined for up to six months.

"Thought I'd let you guys know that I'll be getting surgery on my knee that I injured in the semi-final," Savea said.

"Unfortunately will be out for 5-6 months so will miss the majority of the Super Rugby season with my Canes brothers.

New Zealand Rugby and the Crusaders held a press conference in Christchurch on Friday afternoon, concluding the extensive brand review the franchise committed to in June.

Crusaders board chairman Grant Jarrold, Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge, and New Zealand Rugby Head of Professional Rugby Chris Lendrum, confirmed the 10-times Super Rugby champions would not change their name from 2021, and would instead "reclaim its meaning through a new brand".

The partnership will see Fiji Airways feature on the front of the Crusaders’ away jerseys from 2020.

Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge said this will be the first time the Crusaders has had a separate front-of-jersey sponsor for their home and away jerseys, and they are thrilled the team’s away jerseys will feature the Fiji Airways brand from 2020.

Mansbridge added the Crusaders largest fan base outside of New Zealand is in Fiji, which is unsurprising given the overwhelming support they have from local fans whenever the team has played a Super Rugby match in Suva.

The 30-year-old Cruden, will return home from France after signing a one-year deal with the Chiefs.

Head Coach Warren Gatland suggested the first five-eighth would slot into the first-choice playmaking role, potentially leaving game-breaking All Black Damian McKenzie to be restored as the team's fullback.

McKenzie shone at five-eighth for the Chiefs in 2018 but a serious early-season knee injury ruined this year's campaign and robbed him of World Cup selection.

The versatile back, who has played in 83 Tests for the Wallabies, will return for an 11th season with the Waratahs in 2020.

While international team-mates such as Bernard Foley and David Pocock will head overseas after the World Cup in Japan later this year, Beale has elected to remain in Australia to play his club rugby.

The 30-year-old needs just 10 more appearances to break the Waratahs' record for the most Super Rugby appearances.

Barrett – a two-time World Rugby Player of the Year – has penned a four-year contract to keep him in New Zealand through to the end of the 2023 World Cup.

But the 28-year-old and 73-cap New Zealand international will represent the Blues at club level from 2020, leaving Super Rugby rivals the Hurricanes, where he broke through in 2011.

The complex new contract will see first five-eighth Barrett join the Blues midway through the 2020 season, however, as he takes an extended break from rugby at the end of this year.

Barrett, the 73-test All Black first five-eighths, is ending an eight-year association with the Hurricanes to join the Blues as part of a new four-year deal with New Zealand Rugby that will take him through till the 2023 World Cup.

Blues chief executive Michael Redman said the signing coup had been "years in the making" and was the most important player change the competition had ever seen.

Perenara will make his 127th appearance, eight seasons after he made his debut against the Stormers in Cape Town surpassing former teamates Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith.

Hurricanes coach John Plumtree has made just one change to the starting lineup which beat the Bulls in the quarter finals with Salesi Rayasi replacing the injured s Wes Goosen on the wing.

The bench features the return of utility forward Vaea Fifita from suspension while James Marshall has recovered from an elbow injury which ruled him out of the quarter-final.

Cooper has coached the Chiefs for the past two years taking to the quarterfinals in 2018 and 2019 and was due to lead the side in 2020 but has cited the lack of hands on coaching as having played a part in his decision.

"The role of the head coach has evolved so much over the past five or six years," he said.

"My passion is 'hands-on' on-the-field coaching, but with bigger playing numbers and more staff involved these days, I am getting taken further and further away from my passion."

Cooper said he would now take a break to consider his future.