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Chiefs confirm positional switch as Damian McKenzie replaced by brother
Chiefs head coach Colin Cooper has followed through with his suggestion that a positional switch could be in store for Damian McKenzie as the Hamilton-based franchise look to overturn their horror start to the season.
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McKenzie, who has regularly featured at first-five for the Chiefs since the departure of long-time playmaker Aaron Cruden in 2017, has been named to start at fullback for this week’s clash against the Hurricanes at Waikato Stadium, replacing the injured Solomon Alaimalo.
Taking his place in the No. 10 jersey is older brother Marty, who is in line for his first Super Rugby appearance of the year.
It will almost be a year to the day since Damian last started at fullback for the Chiefs, playing a key role in their 41-28 victory over the Bulls in Hamilton last year.
It’s the position of which he first made a name for himself in at this level, earning a reputation as an electric, agile threat from the back in his first three seasons with the franchise between 2015 and 2017.
Despite being deployed predominantly at first-five in Super Rugby last year, All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen continued to use the 23-year-old at fulback in test matches.
As for Marty, this weekend’s clash presents a chance for him to start in his first Super Rugby match since last year’s edition of this fixture, a 28-24 win over the Hurricanes at Waikato Stadium in the final round of the regular season.
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The switch comes as a result of the Chiefs losing their opening four matches of the 2019 campaign, including hefty defeats to the Brumbies and Crusaders, as well as a first-ever loss to the Sunwolves.
It’s their worst start to a Super Rugby campaign since 2007, and Cooper is confident of turning his side’s fortunes around against a Hurricanes outfit that is beginning to hit their straps as they welcome back their star players.
“We have had a testing couple of weeks and we know the Hurricanes will be a strong challenge,” he said.
“We are not afraid of the contest on Friday, we have come together as a team and will focus on sticking to our structures and working on delivering our game plan.”
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Other key changes includes the omission of impressive rookie wing Etene Nanai-Seturo, who has been dropped to the bench in place of Japanese international Ataata Moeakiola, while former New Zealand under-20 captain Luke Jacobson joins debutant Rory Coxon in the reserves to feature in the match day squad for the first time this year.
Chiefs: 1. Aiden Ross, 2. Nathan Ross, 3. Nepo Laulala, 4. Brodie Retallick (c), 5. Michael Allardice, 6. Mitchell Brown, 7. Mitch Karpik, 8. Tyler Ardron, 9. Brad Weber, 10. Marty McKenzie, 11. Ataata Moeakiola, 12. Anton Lienert-Brown, 13. Tumua Manu, 14. Sean Wainui, 15. Damian McKenzie
Reserves: 16. Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17. Rory Coxon, 18. Angus Ta’avao, 19. Taleni Seu, 20. Luke Jacobson, 21. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22. Alex Nankivell, 23. Etene Nanai-Seturo
Hurricanes: 1. Toby Smith, 2. Dane Coles (c), 3. Ben May, 4. James Blackwell, 5. Vaea Fifita, 6. Reed Prinsep, 7. Du’Plessis Kirifi, 8. Ardie Savea, 9. TJ Perenara, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Wes Goosen, 12. Ngani Laumape, 13. Matt Proctor, 14. Jordie Barrett, 15. Chase Tiatia
Reserves: 16. Asafo Aumua, 17. Fraser Armstrong, 18. Alex Fidow, 19. Liam Mitchell, 20. Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, 21. Finlay Christie, 22. Jackson Garde-Bachop, 23. Salesi Rayasi
Dan Carter’s ‘blessing in disguise’:
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments