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Forgotten All Blacks hooker set for long-awaited return from injury via Chiefs development side

Nathan Harris. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Chiefs hooker Nathan Harris will continue his long-awaited return from injury on Saturday after being named on the bench for the franchise’s development side to face the Blues Development in Hamilton.

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The match, which acts as a curtain-raiser to the Super Rugby Aotearoa clash between the Chiefs and Blues and FMG Stadium Waikato, will give Harris valuable game time as he looks to bounce back from a horror run of injuries that has prevented him from playing for almost 18 months.

The 29-year-old has been sidelined since September 2019 after fracturing his ankle while playing for Bay of Plenty in the Mitre 10 Cup, and was subsequently ruled out of the 2020 Super Rugby season after he was advised to undergo surgery to repair his rotator cuff.

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Highlanders co-captain Ash Dixon speaks to media ahead of Hurricanes clash

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Highlanders co-captain Ash Dixon speaks to media ahead of Hurricanes clash

At the time, Harris was expected to be available for last year’s provincial campaign, but the 20-test All Black never featured for Bay of Plenty as they succumbed to a semi-final defeat in the Mitre 10 Cup Premiership.

It wasn’t until this year’s Super Rugby pre-season when Harris finally took to the field again as he started from the bench in both of the Chiefs’ clashes against the Blues and Crusaders in a game-of-three-halves fixture in Cambridge last month.

While he is yet to take to the field for the club’s senior team this season, Harris’ inclusion in the Chiefs Development’s bench is an indication that he may not be too far off from Super Rugby Aotearoa action.

Harris is one of seven members of the full Chiefs squad who have been named to play in the development team’s match against their Blues counterparts this weekend.

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Young No 8 Kaylum Boshier will pack down at the back of the scrum, while the backline features the likes of halfback Xavier Roe, first-five Bryn Gatland, midfielder Rameka Poihipi, wing Jonah Lowe and fullback Rivez Reihana.

Other notable names in the match day side include capped Tongan flanker Zane Kapeli, former Blues prop Ezekiel Lindenmuth, recent Chiefs debutant Joe Apikatoa, ex-Chiefs halfback Lisati Milo-Harris and Manu Samoa loose forward Alamanda Motuga.

Kick-off between the one-off fixture is scheduled for 4:25pm on Saturday NZT.

Chiefs Development to face Blues Development

1. Ezekiel Lindenmuth
2. Sekope Lopeti Moli
3. Joe Apikatoa
4. Stan van den Hoven
5. Hamilton Burr
6. Viliami Taulani
7. Zane Kapeli
8. Kaylum Boshier
9. Xavier Roe
10. Bryn Gatland
11. Mathew Skipwith-Garland
12. Rameka Poihipi
13. Gideon Wrampling
14. Jonah Lowe
15. Rivez Reihana

Reserves:

16. Nathan Harris
17. Benet Kumeroa
18. George Dyer
19. Sam Slade
20. Alamanda Motuga
21. Lisati Milo-Harris
22. Amanaki Sevieti
23. Taniela Filimone

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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