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Chiefs re-sign fan favourite Naitoa Ah Kuoi on two-year extension

Naitoa Ah Kuoi of the Chiefs takes the field. Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images

The Chiefs have locked in the service of All Blacks XV utility forward Naitoa Ah Kuoi for another two years.

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Primarily employed at lock, the Wellington product has become a popular figure amongst the Hamilton fanbase for his energetic character.

On the field, Ah Kuoi has proven to be one of New Zealand’s premier defensive lineout threats, appearing near the top of the 2023 season lineout steals statistics despite not owning a starting role with the Chiefs.

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Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula on being overlooked by NZ U20’s

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    Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula on being overlooked by NZ U20’s

    Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula chats to Finn Morton about how he was overlooked but then had a blast with Fiji U20s in South Africa.

    The 24-year-old’s extension locks in the future of perhaps the strongest young second-row units in Super Rugby, as Ah Kuoi continues to work alongside All Blacks Tupou Vaa’i and Josh Lord, as well as Manaaki Selby-Rickit.

    “It’s pretty cool to be sticking around,” said Ah Kuoi. “I’ve been here since I was 20 and I’ve grown up in this place. The Chiefs have made me a better player, a better person and supported my family throughout this journey which I’m truly grateful for. At the end of the day, I just want to win a title for this province and its people. That’s it.”

    With his 2023 form earning him an All Blacks XV selection after appearing off the bench in the Super Rugby Pacific final, Ah Kuoi’s value to the Chiefs team was expressed by coach Clayton McMillan.

    “Naitoa is a big part of our club. He’s a strong, consistent performer and has been outstanding for us in his time with the team,” he said.

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    “He’s a big personality that adds a lot to the off-field culture, bringing abundant energy. His family have been a real ‘why’ for him and we are glad to have them continuing as part of the Chiefs whanau too. We are looking forward to seeing his continued development as a player and as a man.”

    The Chiefs are locked in for a home quarter-final but have one final test in Super Rugby Pacific’s round-robin in the form of familiar rivals the Blues.

    The game will decide whether the Auckland team top the table and earn home-field advantage throughout the playoffs or if the Hurricanes reclaim their No. 1 seed and win hosting rights.

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    EllenMoody 4 hours ago
    Great moments in Lions tour history – JPR’s drop goal and the All Blacks' brutal revenge

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    JWH 5 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Do you hear yourself? Do you have any concept of world view? Have you tried looking into why people call Ireland ‘arrogant’? Obviously not.


    We started calling you arrogant when you called our captain a ‘shit Richie McCaw’. In New Zealand. On our turf. Don’t think that kind of behaviour really calls for respect, does it.


    NZ don’t really talk ourselves up, if anything the rugby does it for us. No kiwi goes in the media and says: ‘We are gonna win the RWC’. However, I have found many instance of IRISH media saying that the Irish should win, without a doubt. THAT is disrespectful.


    The All Blacks have played good rugby, even some of the best rugby ever, at many points in history, but I don’t think you could find a single instance of one of those players, or the NZ media, saying that they should whitewash their opponents. Ever.


    Now, onto your analysis. Ireland DID choke the QF. They beat the champions, they were ranked first coming into it, a lot of players at the peaks of their powers. Its hard to say that they didn’t choke. Obviously, their preparation was just not as good as NZ, and thats all there really is to it.


    If Ireland had repsected that ABs team and that QF more, maybe they would’ve prepared properly for it and won. But they didn’t.


    Maybe if Ireland had won their QF last RWC, they wouldn’t have to be in the same pool as SA and Scotland. I mean, its called a draw for a reason. NZ got third last RWC, so of course they should get a reasonable pool, and they were ranked pretty highly too. If you want to talk about easy pools, look no further than Pool 3 with England, Australia, Fiji, and Georgia I think?


    Now, obviously you don’t remember how that QF ended, so I’ll go ahead and rectify that. Ireland reclaimed the ball off kickoff and marched for 20ish phases into the opposition half. Savea then won a turnover, but the referee refused to give it, so play went on. Finally, at the NZ 22, after not giving up a single penatly in 25 phases of hard defense, Sam Whitelock, the most capped All Black of all time, wins the game with an incredible steal.


    Now, NZ players having a go at Ireland. Do you cry when you get hit after making the first swing? We all know Sexton is a prick on the field, its just the truth. And Ioane never backs down from a clash, so he thought he should humble a player who has never won an international knockout game who thought he was all that. Don’t really see the issue, its poetic justice really.

    83 Go to comments
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