Ihaia West has forced his way into the starting side in just a month with the Blues © Getty Images

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Ihaia West will make his first Super Rugby start when the Blues take on the Hurricanes at Eden Park on Saturday, just one month after the Hawke's Bay playmaker joined the squad following the season-ending injury to Baden Kerr.

"What we've been impressed with is his calmness under fire," Blues head coach Sir John Kirwan said of West.

"He's come in and been thrown in the deep end and said ' bring it on' so he deserves his start. We really think he could be an influential player in the future of this franchise like Simon [Hickey] so we've got two very good young men in our squad and it's no secret that we are looking for someone to step into that role.

"Both those young men have certainly put their hands up, but I think with Ihaia getting a start this week we just want a little bit more attack and he'll bring that to us."

George Moala is named on the left wing ahead of Tevita Li, who has been stood down for a breach of internal team protocols, while veteran scrum-half Piri Weepu has overcome a groin strain to be named on the bench.

The Blues have suffered consecutive defeats to the Chiefs and Sharks, and they are now 11 points off the Crusaders and 10 points behind the second-placed Hurricanes in the New Zealand conference, but Kirwan says "the team is heading in the right direction, we're just not winning games which has put us under pressure".

The coach also believes his side can still make the play-offs according to a simple formula.

"We can't drop a game," Kirwan said. "If we want to achieve what we set out to achieve, we can't drop a football game. It's a big ask but it's quite exciting at the same time. We're at home and it's a must-win."

Blues: Lolagi Visinia; Frank Halai, Pita Ahki, Ma'a Nonu, George Moala; Ihaia West, Bryn Hall; Jerome Kaino, Luke Braid (captain), Peter Saili; Tom Donnelly, Patrick Tuipulotu; Charlie Faumuina, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock. Replacements: James Parsons, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Angus Ta'avao, Hayden Triggs, Steven Luatua, Piri Weepu, Simon Hickey, Albert Nikoro.