Northern Edition

Select Edition

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

Recap: Chiefs vs Highlanders | Super Rugby Aotearoa

Bryn Gatland. (Original photo by Getty Images)

Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Super Rugby Aotearoa clash between the Chiefs and Highlanders at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton.

ADVERTISEMENT

Keep up to date with the latest score, stats and join the conversation from anywhere in the world in our Live Match Centre (click here).

Chiefs head coach Warren Gatland has made a raft of changes to his twenty-three for his side’s clash against the Highlanders on Sunday.

Video Spacer

Win £5000 for your local club thanks to Budgy Smuggler

Video Spacer

Win £5000 for your local club thanks to Budgy Smuggler

In the forwards, Aidan Ross, Bradley Slater and Nepo Laulala pack down a formidable front row.

With lock Naitoa Ah Kuoi side-lined with concussion, Tupou Vaa’i shifts into the starting XV combining with Mitchell Brown.

The impressive loose forward combination of Lachlan Boshier and Chiefs captain Sam Cane remains the status quo alongside Pita Gus Sowakula completing the forward pack at No. 8.

A reshuffled backline will see halfback Brad Weber combine with first-five eighth Kaleb Trask, with an experienced halves combination in Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi and Aaron Cruden named on the bench.

ADVERTISEMENT

Alex Nankivell earns his first start of the Super Rugby Aotearoa competition at second five-eighth. He will be joined by Anton Lienert-Brown in the midfield, who returns from concussion.

An electrifying back three consists of Solomon Alaimalo on the left wing, Sean Wainui on the right wing and Damian McKenzie slotting into fullback.

In the reserves, an abundance of experience is featured. Samisoni Taukei’aho, Reuben O’Neill and Ross Geldenhuys round off a powerful replacement front row.

Experienced Adam Thomson and Mitchell Karpik provide loose forward cover. Rookie Quinn Tupaea completes the line-up in jersey twenty-three.

ADVERTISEMENT

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCvA84qAjsi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Meanwhile, Josh Ioane returns to the Highlanders’ match day 23 in what is a largely unchanged team from last Sunday’s close loss to the Hurricanes in Wellington.

Ioane, who withdrew before the round one match against the Chiefs with a re-aggravated groin strain the injury, will get his first taste of Super Rugby Aotearoa.

“It’s been tough to be on the sidelines watching as there has been some great games going on and I’m excited to get the opportunity to get back out there,” said Ioane.

There are no changes in the forward pack with Dillon Hunt, who left the field last week after sustaining a finger in the eye, being declared fit to play.

Jona Nareki, who has started every match so far for the Highlanders, will be given a chance to make an impact off the bench this week. Scott Gregory will move from the right-wing to the left wing, making way for Josh McKay to make his competition debut.

In the reserves, Folau Fakatava and Ethan de Groot will be included in the playing team for the first time after Kayne Hammington broke his hand in the final moments of the Hurricanes match and Daniel Lienert-Brown is unavailable due to dental surgery this week.

Should Ethan de Groot take the field, this will be his Super Rugby debut.

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

B
Bull Shark 1 hour ago
Rassie Erasmus' Boks selection policy is becoming bizarre

To be fair, the only thing that drives engagement on this site is over the top critiques of Southern Hemisphere teams.


Or articles about people on podcasts criticizing southern hemisphere teams.


Articles regarding the Northern Hemisphere tend to be more positive than critical. I guess to also rile up kiwis and Saffers who seem to be the majority of followers in the comments section. There seems to be a whole department dedicated to Ireland’s world ranking news.


Despite being dialled into the Northern edition - I know sweet fokall about what’s going on in France.


And even less than fokall about what’s cutting in Japan - which has a fast growing, increasingly premium League competition emerging.


And let’s not talk about the pacific. Do they even play rugby Down there.


Oh and the Americas. I’ve read more articles about a young, stargazing Welshman’s foray into NFL than I have anything related to either the north and south continents of the Americas.


I will give credit that the women’s game is getting decent airtime. But for the rest and the above; it’s just pathetic coming from a World Rugby website.


Just consider the innovation emerging in Japan with the pedigree of coaches over there.


There’s so much good we could be reading.


Instead it’s unimaginative “critical for the sake of feigning controversial”. Which is lazy, because in order to pull that off all you need to be really good at is:


1. Being a doos;

2. Having an opinion.


No prior experience needed.


Which is not journalism. That’s like all or most of us in the comments section. People like Finn (who I believe is a RP contributor).


Anyway. Hopefully it will get better. The game is growing and the interest in the game is growing. Maybe it will attract more qualified journalists over time.

17 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Joe Marler has sold England down the river – Andy Goode Joe Marler has sold England down the river – Andy Goode
Search