Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Chiefs roll out A-team for 'barn-stormer' Blues battle

Emoni Narawa celebrates his try for the Chiefs. (Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP /AFP via Getty Images

Head coach Clayton McMillan has selected a settled and experienced Gallagher Chiefs team to host the Blues in round six of the DHL Super Rugby Pacific competition at the FMG Stadium Waikato on Saturday.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Gallagher Chiefs will start with a forward pack boasting a collective 675 caps at this level, and a backline with an average of more than 50 caps each.

There is a settled look to the pack where Ollie Norris will start in the front row with All Black Samisoni Taukei’aho and Irish international John Ryan, who has been thoroughly impressive both on and off the field.

Video Spacer

Video Spacer

Tupou Vaa’i returns from injury to the middle row with centurion Brodie Retallick while Luke Jacobson returns to join Samipeni Finau and Sam Cane in the loose.

The only change in the backline from last week’s hard-fought win over the Waratahs in Sydney will see the exciting Taranaki 22-year-old Daniel Rona get his first start at centre after impressing off the bench.

There is plenty of power and excitement from the reserves to add much-needed impact.

“This is a game that the boys look forward to,” said head coach Clayton McMillan. “They are our closest neighbours and they are a team stacked with All Blacks.

“They understand how they want to play and they have the ability to impose that game on you if you allow them. They present a significant challenge.

ADVERTISEMENT

“The rivalry seems to bring the best out in both teams and I anticipate this will be a very physical contest.

“We owe it to our loyal supporters to deliver a performance that they can be proud of and hope they arrive in droves to witness what should be a barn-stormer.”

Related

1. Ollie Norris (33)
2. Samisoni Taukei’aho (68)
3. John Ryan (5)
4. Brodie Retallick (119)
5. Tupou Vaa’i (34)
6. Samipeni Finau (22)
7. Sam Cane (Co Captain, 141)
8. Luke Jacobson (53)
9. Brad Weber (Co Captain, 114)
10. Damian McKenzie (100)
11. Etene Nanai-Seturo (33)
12. Rameka Poihipi (19)
13. Daniel Rona (2)
14. Emoni Narawa (9)
15. Shaun Stevenson (72)

Reserves:
16. Tyrone Thompson (7)
17. Aidan Ross (65)
18. George Dyer (12)
19. Naitoa Ah Kuoi (38)
20. Pita Gus Sowakula (58)
21. Cortez Ratima (14)
22. Bryn Gatland (26)
23. Liam Coombes-Fabling (2)

ADVERTISEMENT

Via Press Release/Chiefs

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 1 hour ago
'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

Even the 20/30 cappers did too I reckon.


IDK, I think Jordan has a limited life span in this side unless he can develop more to his game. Like you go on to mention, I think theyres more important things to worry about than the effectiveness of someone's extra strings, or secondary components to their game.


Bash backs are Fosters thing, and to a large part they've made it work. Theyre now one of the best teams in the world.


They boy's trucked it up a bit against Italy in the redzone, and against France, wasn't that effective without the right players probably.


Try and take a look at it this way. Dissapointed Havili and Blackadder were in the side? Havili despite clearly shown that he can't do what the team needs at 12 was kept on for the RWC. Back goes down and he brings in Blackadder who doesn't play. Refuses to drop Christie when he should and look who starts this season. Beauden Barret not playing well enough to keep his 10 jersey but we gotta keep him in the side. Weve only got one 8, we stuff developing another I'll just play Ardie every game.


This years team wasn't burdened overly with injuries but they were in every position Razor might have wanted to try and development, severely limiting options. I'm not defending Razor as there was also plenty of other opportunity to make up for it and he was a little gunshy, but I'm also not going to overly criticise him because he chose cohesion over a black slate.

How long are we going to keep blaming All Black failings on Ian Foster.

I think more and more people are on board with it being time to try alternatives, but then again, how would they have reacted to a loss against Italy? 😉

70 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Lamb to the slaughter? Italy aim to 'get stuck into' All Blacks Lamb to the slaughter? Italy aim to 'get stuck into' All Blacks
Search