18 - 20

38 - 21

23 - 13

U20

15 - 12

U20

45 - 40

U20

55 - 33

32 - 31

35 - 15

17 - 22

14 - 68

35 - 16

34 - 19

Super Rugby Pacific

Luke Jacobson set to captain new-look Chiefs side in New Plymouth

By Finn Morton

09 May 2023

(Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)

All Black Luke Jacobson will captain a new-look Chiefs outfit when they take on the Queensland Reds in New Plymouth on Friday.

Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan has made 10 changes to the starting side, including some potentially significant decisions at hooker, flanker and halfback.

The unbeaten Chiefs will be without All Blacks trio Samisoni Taukei’aho, Sam Cane and Brad Weber for the round 12 clash in Taranaki.

Instead, backrower Luke Jacobson will lead the team as they look to extend their unbeaten streak to 11 games in 2023.

The Chiefs have named a completely different front-row this week, while Tupou Vaa’i is the only player in the tight five to retain his spot in the run-on side.

Samipeni Finau and Simon Parker will start on the flanks, will captain Luke Jacobson will pack down at the back of the scrum.

Co-captain Brad Weber has not been named this week, instead, rising star Cortez Ratima will get another opportunity to star in the No. 9 jersey.

Ratima will line-up in the halves alongside in-form playmaker Damian McKenzie, who has retained his spot at first five.

The familiar back three trio of Etene Nanai-Seturo, Emoni Narawa and Shaun Stevenson has been named once again this week.

In-form centre Daniel Rona makes way for inside centre Rameka Poihipi, with Anton Lienert-Brown shifting out one spot in the midfield.

“It is home to a number of our players, and it will be a proud moment for those who were fit and available to play in front of friends and family,” coach Clayton McMillan said in a statement.

“That played a part in our squad selection; alongside All Black rest protocols, increasing squad readiness for upcoming games, and respecting the huge challenge the Reds will bring.

“At this stage of the season, every point counts and I have no doubt both teams will come eager to lock horns in the bullring.”

The match between the Chiefs and Reds is set to kick-off at 7.05pm NZST at Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth, on Friday.

Chiefs team to take on Reds

Jared Proffit
Bradley Slater
John Ryan
Tupou Vaa’i
Josh Lord
Samipeni Finau
Simon Parker
Luke Jacobson (c)
Cortez Ratima
Damian McKenzie
Etene Nanai-Seturo
Rameka Poihipi
Anton Lienert-Brown
Emoni Narawa
Shaun Stevenson

Replacements:

Tyrone Thompson
Ollie Norris
Atunaisa Moli
Manaaki Selby-Rickit
Naitoa Ah Kuoi
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
Josh Ioane
Alex Nankivell

Players not considered due to injury: Angus Ta’avao, Xavier Roe, Quinn Tupaea, Brodie Retallick, Gideon Wrampling, Ngatungane Punivai, Kaylum Boshier, Peniasi Malimali, Bryn Gatland

Comments

0 Comments

Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Latest Features

LONG READ

Why the ‘State of Origin’ will have a big say in Schmidt’s Wallabies selection

Saturday's showdown between the Reds and Waratahs is not merely a clash of styles, but an Australia trial into the bargain.

LONG READ

Was Dublin drubbing the end of an era or a bump in the road for Ireland?

Has an ageing squad been exposed by Les Bleus, or was Saturday's French thrashing merely a blip for the venerated green machine?

LONG READ

'Wales v England has a special resonance and can make a mockery of what has gone before’

Wales will aim to harness the passion of their home crowd but the game will be decided by form, not historical enmity, with England in pole position.

Comments on RugbyPass

GP 30 minutes ago

Kiwis dominate the performers of the week for Super Rugby Pacific round five

Good choices by the writer. Obviously very pleased for Macca Springer. First outing for the Crusaders this season, 5 tries.Has to hold his slot. James O; Connor with his goalkicking comes in to consideration to start. Kirifi must be an AB.

1 Go to comments

MukeshBedi 58 minutes ago

Donna Kennedy: The woman who started 95 of Scotland's first 100 Tests

Morphohack Successfully Recovered My USDT/BTC From GainBitcoin Scam.

My name is Mukesh and I was a victim of a GainBitcoin scam where I was promised huge returns from my investment not knowing I was being conned by GainBitcoin, I lost 22 million Indian rupees to this scam which I thought was gone forever after the whole scheme was down, however, I came across Morphohack Cyber Service, who was able to help me trace and recover my USDT and BTC funds and after several months of waiting for the CBI to begin their investigation, Morphohack Cyber Service was able to help me recover my USDT/BTC in a few hours. It’s such a pity that such a scam could be allowed to continue for so long and if not for the services of Morphohack Cyber Service, I would have lost my money forever. I’m recommending Morphohack services to everyone affected by the GainBitcoin scam. I can confidently assure you that Morphohack can recover any crypto assets no matter how long you have lost them. Below is their contact information.

E-mail: Morphohack@cyberservices.com

1 Go to comments

MukeshBedi 58 minutes ago

Jamie Osborne backed after switching positions for Ireland

Morphohack Successfully Recovered My USDT/BTC From GainBitcoin Scam.

E-mail: Morphohack@cyberservices.com

0 Go to comments

orsonfisher 1 hour ago

'I have my opinion': Ntamack wades into Dupont injury debate

if you are considering accessing your partners device to gain insight into their activities, its important to be extremely careful so as not to raise suspicion by leaving any traces. consider seeking assistance from a maestro like Whiteatlasone who can assist you in accessing the device and retrieving the information you required without them noticing and he do have all tips on recovery options

7 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

Crusaders vs Force takes: Let's talk about Sevu Reece, forgotten All Black returns

NZ rugby needs to allow the All blacks coaching staff to select whoever they like, that will only strengthen the Allblacks and perhaps disincentive the clubs from signing up NZ rugby players, not that it will matter.

Yeah it would be interesting what sort of difference that would make. Don’t forget that International teams are also allowed/required to have players avaliable for their second sides. So even if he was eligible for the ABs, they could have an ‘offshore’ seconds side they use which would have the same effect you suggest above, while also providing a better idea of where those players are at, if NZ whished them return or be selectable.

I don’t think SA have done that to any great or useful extent. It is mainly local players that went overseas that they have just continued to select.

10 Go to comments

YeowNotEven 2 hours ago

Mixed Wales update on availability of Josh Adams, Gareth Anscombe

Who the f are these people who get their financial advice from a rugby comments section ?

6 Go to comments

JWH 2 hours ago

Crusaders vs Force takes: Let's talk about Sevu Reece, forgotten All Black returns

Was agreeing with you until you mentioned WJ on the wing and BB at 15. Just blatantly wrong. This isn’t 2022. Move on.

10 Go to comments

JWH 2 hours ago

Crusaders vs Force takes: Let's talk about Sevu Reece, forgotten All Black returns

Ragebait, Sevu still scoring running try’s. He’s probably quicker than Telea as well atp, maybe Clarke too. He is a track runner after all

10 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

Crusaders vs Force takes: Let's talk about Sevu Reece, forgotten All Black returns

I think Reece has bulked up too much and now doesn’t have the pace to perform to his previously high standards. He’s making himself less of a winger but I’m not really sure he’s filling another role succinctly either. I think criticism at the AB level has seen him try to redevelop his game, I’m really not sure he can be continued to be used at the highest level. Definitely becoming the wing version Richie Mo’unga is possible (if not already attained) at Super Rugby level however. I loved watching him play when he first broke through.

The Force are undeniably much improved this season, but it’s going to take some reps to prove to themselves that they really can hang with the big dogs.

Yeah they’re still well off in the quality personal front.

It was the 21-year-old’s first appearance of the season, and he certainly made the most of it, with 13 carries accounting for 50 running metres – each of them passing by in a blur as Springer made his may to the try line time and time again.

Will Jordan was playmaking superbly to assist the youngster’s points tally, but it was all individual brilliance in the 53rd minute when Springer tiptoed down the sideline before collecting his own chip kick and outpacing the final two defenders to score under the posts.

After pre-season I said that I wanted Springer to cement the starting jersey, and that (well I’ve not no idea exactly which sides they play) another new wing recruit, Kunawave, would replace Reece as the Fijian Flyer in the team by season end. Reece might be making that tough, but unfortunately it looks like there wasn’t a full squad spot for the young fella and he has since made his AB7s debut instead. Watch this space though as he and Saifoloi look to have the X factor👍

That Jordan pass to Springer aside it was otherwise a very lackluster game for him as he looks to be struggling with processing his option taking in this new style he’s trying. Still have to think a man of that talent and ingenuity is going to make it click sooner or later though!

t’s a congested position, and after Ennor shot down talk of him being swept up by a Top 14 outfit this week, it looks as if the Crusaders have some selection headaches to solve in the coming weeks.

That’s great news. I can’t remember if it was because he actually made his return in pre-season or not but for some reason I was liking how Ennor looked like he might be providing the right options for Saders and even ABs when back. Very pleased to see him fit straight in though there was plenty of space on offer but he almost looked as if he was more dangerous with no space. Could be the long looked for option at 13?

10 Go to comments

JWH 2 hours ago

Super Rugby Pacific has turned the ship around in the right direction

What are you talking about? Why change it? Why a 5v5 comp? Everything you’re saying doesn’t make sense. The comp is finally performing well and you want to chop and axe teams because … what?

4 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

Chiefs vs Blues takes: Blues need Spider-Man, McKenzie is All Blacks’ form 10

Dmac is setup to be the main kick returner too, so he gets most of the receipts (shown by his carry stats). Dunno if that will change/switch back to Shaun as he works into the season.

6 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

Chiefs vs Blues takes: Blues need Spider-Man, McKenzie is All Blacks’ form 10

Wasn’t Jordan shocking in the weekend though, trying to fullfil his new playmaker role? That one lovely pass, still a bit of work to fulfil that statement I think.

6 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

Chiefs vs Blues takes: Blues need Spider-Man, McKenzie is All Blacks’ form 10

Chiefs were in the driver’s seat for most of Saturday night’s fixture in the Tron

I don’t know about that. The majority of stats all favour the Blues.

Referee Ben O’Keeffe did show the rising star a yellow card during the second half after a series of infringements from the Blues, but that shouldn’t take away too much from the main point here. Taele looks at home with the Blues in Super Rugby Pacific.

There were a few errors that crept into his performance in that second half, but yes, I was surprised after watching him a few times how comfortable he looked in his role as a 2nd5, and even how well he performed it. It is a shame for Lam to be injured but I picked up a distinct difference in how the backline functioned by having Taele at twelve instead. I might not have given him another go this week but now it will be very interesting to see what Vern does and without knowing what else is going on (Pero might be fit enough to start and psuh Plummer to 12) I think he might start again (Heem has been very very good in the role in recent years, is he fit).

Shaun Stevenson fails to make an All Blacks-worthy statement

He’s leaving Hamish (don’t know how you missed that), it’s impossible to make a statement for AB selection, and that also be well out of his mind.

Watching him in Japan he looked to be struggling as much of his team. Which is often how I think his contributions have depended, how well he fits in with the team. He’s a very unique player and I don’t think the Chiefs have anywhere near the right momentum and structure to unlock Shaun’s strengths. In saying that I thought he played well and that pass showed he’s in a great headspace, you might also be overplaying Corey’s contribution, which from the weekend would be of greatest value if he was Lams midfield replacement imo. I’d like Forbes to return this weekend and don’t think Corey did enough to take that opportunity away from him.

6 Go to comments

JW 3 hours ago

Super Rugby Pacific has turned the ship around in the right direction

I wonder whether even more consolidation is in order. If going back to a 12 team competition is unrealistic in the foreseeable future (and you have to think with the lack of talk it is going to be for the new/next 5 year cycle) then conformity with NZ matching Aus with four teams might be on the cards, or possibly less disruptively (all considered) Australia going down to 3 teams and incorporating Drua and Moana into a 5 v 5 comp, might be more workable?

The later change could possibly even be advantageous if it makes more use of Twiggies desire to have his region at the forefront (setting up their rival competition again).

4 Go to comments

Jahmirwayle 3 hours ago

Mixed Wales update on availability of Josh Adams, Gareth Anscombe

It started with a gut-wrenching realization. I’d been duped. Months earlier, I’d poured $133,000 into what I thought was a golden opportunity a cryptocurrency investment platform promising astronomical returns. The website was sleek, the testimonials glowed, and the numbers in my account dashboard climbed steadily. I’d watched my Bitcoin grow, or so I thought, until the day I tried to withdraw it. That’s when the excuses began: “Processing delays,” “Additional verification required,” and finally, a demand for a hefty “release fee.” Then, silence. The platform vanished overnight, taking my money with it. I was left staring at a blank screen, my savings gone, and a bitter taste of shame in my mouth.I didn’t know where to turn. The police shrugged cybercrime was a black hole they couldn’t navigate. Friends offered sympathy but no solutions. I spent sleepless nights scouring forums, reading about others who’d lost everything to similar scams. That’s when I stumbled across a thread mentioning a group specializing in crypto recovery. They didn’t promise miracles, but they had a reputation for results. Desperate, I reached out.The first contact was a breath of fresh air. I sent an email explaining my situation dates, transactions, screenshots, everything I could scrape together. Within hours, I got a reply. No fluff, no false hope, just a clear request for more details and a promise to assess my case. I hesitated, wary of another scam, but something about their professionalism nudged me forward. I handed over my evidence: the wallet addresses I’d sent my Bitcoin to, the emails from the fake platform, even the login credentials I’d used before the site disappeared.The process kicked off fast. They explained that scammers often move funds through a web of wallets to obscure their tracks, but Bitcoin’s blockchain leaves a trail if you know how to follow it. That’s where their expertise came in. They had tools and know-how I couldn’t dream of, tracing the flow of my coins across the network. I didn’t understand the technical jargon hash rates, mixing services, cold wallets but I didn’t need to. They kept me in the loop with updates: “We’ve identified the initial transfer,” “The funds split here,” “We’re narrowing down the endpoints.” Hours passed , and I oscillated between hope and dread. Then came the breakthrough. They’d pinpointed where my Bitcoin had landed a cluster of wallets tied to the scammers. Some of it had been cashed out, but a chunk remained intact, sitting in a digital vault the crooks thought was untouchable. I didn’t ask too many questions about that part; I just wanted results. They pressured the right points, leveraging the blockchain evidence to freeze the wallets holding my funds before the scammers could liquidate them. Next morning, I woke up to an email that made my heart skip. “We’ve secured access to a portion of your assets.” Not all of it some had slipped through the cracks but $133,000 worth of Bitcoin, my original investment, was recoverable. They walked me through the final steps: setting up a secure wallet, verifying the transfer, watching the coins land. When I saw the balance tick up on my screen, I sat there, stunned. It was real. My money was back.The ordeal wasn’t painless. I’d lost time, sleep, and a bit of faith in humanity. But the team at Alpha Spy Nest Recovery turned a nightmare into a second chance. I’ll never forget what they did. In a world full of thieves, they were the ones who fought to make things right. Contacts below: email: Alphaspynest@mail.com, WhatsApp: +14159714490‬, Telegram: https://t.me/Alphaspynest

6 Go to comments

JW 3 hours ago

Super Rugby Pacific has turned the ship around in the right direction

“We want jeopardy in our competition, right? We want ladder movement. We don’t want teams to stay in the same ladder position that they were in last year.

You need promotion relegation then. You cannot always rely on 4 teams being the right number for Australia, it could mean that they are too strong in future. Or that Fijian Drua doesn’t always has the players to knock of the best.

“We want unexpected results. We want every fan to be sitting here on a Friday at lunchtime going ‘I’m a chance this weekend’.’’

Oh, so you want a made up fantasy league like the NFL, rather than a quantifiable competition like NPC, and to a lesser degree, then NRL. Meaningless rather than meaningful, you don’t want the best of NSW taking on the best of Queensland, or the Blues region versus the Chiefs region.

There is still huge room for improvement in the way rugby is played and officiated, it is an incredibly young professional sport. Some of these introduced concepts are tricks taken from others and have done a lot to engage and increase Super Rugby’s appeal, but there has been a hint of whether the game is selling it’s soul to get back on the table.

For me, Super Rugby’s best years were around the turn of the millennium, when the Crusaders and Brumbies held sway. The speed with which possession was recycled at the breakdown and the minutes the ball was in play remains my benchmark for flowing rugby.

Have you used you’re own license for viewing “feels rather than facts” here Hamish?

I agree, the rugby isn’t as good as it has been at times in the recent past, but it is more engaging. Which I think is due to a whole factor of fortunate and one off reasons, along with targeted ones.

4 Go to comments

Bruiser 3 hours ago

Super Rugby Pacific has turned the ship around in the right direction

Definitely best season for several years. Lots of young NZ talent coming through and skill level and intensity has increased. No real weak NZ team and pretty even overall. The Aussies consolidating to 4 teams should have happened years ago and will make Wallabies a lot stronger. Moana and Drua are getting stronger and making the championship a true authentic Pacific competition. We certainly dont need SA teams back now. Keeping as many players from leaking to Europe or Japan should be the aim

4 Go to comments

fl 3 hours ago

Bath win Prem Cup to end 17-year trophy wait

Gatland lasted 17 years as Wales coach, I suspect Rassie’s lifespan might be similar. He could probably hang on until 2034-ish if he really wants, but moving on after 2027 - or 2031 at the latest - might be wise.

2 Go to comments

d 3 hours ago

Crusaders vs Force takes: Let's talk about Sevu Reece, forgotten All Black returns

True, they can talk about Reece all they like , but he has continued to disappoint at test level with his decision making and defence. I’d rather see Jordan in his place with DMac or BB at fullback and #10.