Chiefs back cohesion, add a splash of X-factor in 2025 squad

After back-to-back final losses, the Chiefs have backed continuity in their 2025 DHL Super Rugby Pacific squad, while injecting some exciting new talent behind the established starters.

All Blacks Sevens ace Leroy Carter joins the club, with the ability to play across the backline, including at halfback.

An unexpected coup sees the Chiefs land All Blacks XV hooker Brodie McAlister to replace the departing Tyrone Thompson, who is making a code switch to join his twin brother in the NRL.

Among the Super Rugby rookies is towering Taranaki lock Fiti Sa, while the likes of Josh Jacomb and New Zealand U20 star Malachi Wrampling also graduate to the top squad from the development group in 2024.

“The obvious thing is that there is a lot of consistency in the selection of the group,” Chiefs Head Coach Clayton McMillan said of the squad naming.

“I’m a big believer in cohesion. So, having guys that have played together for a while and experienced the highs and lows together. They learn and then create opportunities in the new season to put those learnings into practice and go one step further.”

Promising young All Blacks like Cortez Ratima, Wallace Sititi, Tupou Vaa’i, Emoni Narawaa, Josh Lord and Samipeni Finau return for the 2025 campaign, along with established international talents like Anton Lienert-Brown, Damian McKenzie, Luke Jacobson and Samisoni Taukei’aho.

“I really love the team that we’ve got. I think it’s got great balance, great depth, and our collective experiences will put us in good stead to give the competition a real shake. That’s what we’ll be aiming to do,” said McMillan.

2025 Gallagher Chiefs Squad (Provincial Union, Chiefs caps):

Aidan Ross (Bay of Plenty, 88)
Anton Lienert-Brown (Waikato, 120)
Bradley Slater (Taranaki, 60)
Brodie McAlister (Canterbury, 0)
Cortez Ratima (Waikato, 42)
Damian McKenzie (Waikato, 126)
Daniel Rona (Taranaki, 23)
Emoni Narawa (Bay of Plenty, 33)
Etene Nanai-Seturo (Counties Manukau, 60)
Fiti Sa (Taranaki, 0)*
George Dyer (Waikato, 37)
Gideon Wrampling (Waikato, 3)
Jahrome Brown (Waikato, 0)
Jared Proffit (Taranaki, 15)
Jimmy Tupou (Counties Manukau, 10)
Josh Jacomb (Taranaki, 4)*
Josh Lord (Taranaki, 22)
Kaleb Trask (Bay of Plenty, 23)
Kaylum Boshier (Taranaki, 29)
Leroy Carter (Bay of Plenty, 0)*
Liam Coombes-Fabling (Waikato, 9)
Luke Jacobson (Waikato, 78) (Captain)
Malachi Wrampling (Waikato, 0)
Manaaki Selby-Rickit (Bay of Plenty, 15)
Naitoa Ah Kuoi (Bay of Plenty, 62)
Ollie Norris (Waikato, 54)
Quinn Tupaea (Waikato, 48)
Rameka Poihipi (Canterbury, 44)
Reuben O’Neill (Taranaki, 29)
Samipeni Finau (Waikato, 45)
Samisoni Taukei’aho (Waikato, 92)
Shaun Stevenson (North Harbour, 96)
Simon Parker (Northland, 22)
Sione Ahio (Auckland, 4)
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Bay of Plenty, 54)
Tupou Vaa’i (Taranaki, 58)
Wallace Sititi (North Harbour, 13)
Xavier Roe (Waikato, 31)