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Chiefs make sweeping changes for Moana Pasifika

Etene Nanai-Seturo scores for the Chiefs. (Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images)

Having suffered a disappointing loss to the previously winless Crusaders in round six, the Chiefs are taking a replenished team into their round seven contest against Moana Pasifika.

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That includes the return of Damian McKenzie from All Blacks rest but also the withdrawal of captain Luke Jacobson and fullback Shaun Stevenson.

There are changes across the rest of the 23 as well, with Wallace Sititi and Peniasi Malimali getting their first crack in the starting unit this season and a potential Chiefs debut for prop Sione Ahio.

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Rameka Poihipi will start at second five-eighth and captain the team in Jacobson’s absence.

Two milestones will be brought up in the contest, both Etene Nanai-Seturo and Ollie Norris will celebrate their 50th game in Chiefs colours.

“Etene and Ollie have been integral members of the team for several seasons now. They both started as young men full of potential, and it has been a pleasure to see their personal growth and influence on the team flourish,” head coach Clayton McMillan said.

“To play Super Rugby games is a significant milestone and we are eager to put in a performance that is befitting of their achievement and contribution to our club.”

McMillan added that the team would not be taking their ever-improving opponents lightly.

“Moana Pasifika are a much-improved side. We have seen they have a lot more consistency in their performances, particularly at set piece, whilst maintaining their ability to hurt teams physically on both sides of the ball. They have also shown some nice innovations in their attack, so we will be anticipating everything and assuming nothing.

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“A highlight this week is rewarding players who have worked hard to get their first opportunity to play. We back our full squad and can’t wait to see them state their case for further inclusion, especially at home in front of our loyal supporters” said McMillan.

The game day’s festivities will include a curtain raiser match between the Waikato Police and Bay of Plenty Police.

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Chiefs team to face Moana Psifika

1. Ollie Norris**
2. Samisoni Taukei’aho
3. Reuben O’Neill
4. Jimmy Tupou
5. Tupou Vaa’i
6. Samipeni Finau
7. Simon Parker
8. Wallace Sititi
9. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
10. Damian McKenzie
11. Peniasi Malimali
12. Rameka Poihipi (c)
13. Daniel Rona
14. Emoni Narawa
15. Etene Nanai-Seturo**

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Reserves
16. Bradley Slater
17. Jared Proffit
18. Sione Ahio
19. Naitoa Ah Kuoi
20. Kaylum Boshier
21. Cortez Ratima
22. Josh Ioane
23. Anton Lienert-Brown

*debut
** 50th DHL Super Rugby Pacific / Gallagher Chiefs game

Unavailable for selection: Kaleb Trask, Malachi Wrampling, Josh Lord, Tyrone Thompson, Tom Florence, Luke Jacobson (AB Rest), and Shaun Stevenson (AB Rest).

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EllenMoody 3 hours ago
Great moments in Lions tour history – JPR’s drop goal and the All Blacks' brutal revenge

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JWH 4 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.

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