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Chiefs make wholesale changes to match-day squad, name six debutants for Blues dead rubber
Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan is taking this weekend’s clash with the Blues as an opportunity to freshen up his squad ahead of next weekend’s grand final in Christchurch.
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The Chiefs are five points clear of the Blues on the Super Rugby Aotearoa table and are guaranteed a spot in the final due to the competition’s tie-break rules. As such, McMillan has made 21 changes to his matchday squad – which must come close to a Super Rugby record.
Just two players remain from last weekend’s win over the Hurricanes, No 8 Pita Gus Sowakula and first five-eighth Bryn Gatland.
Debutants Viliami Taulani and Zane Kapeli will join Sowakula in the loose forwards. Kapeli was a member of last year’s Highlanders squad but never took the field for the southerners, while 24-year-old Taulani made an appearance for the Chiefs during this year’s pre-season.
Ollie Norris and Sione Mafileo will sandwich Bradley Slater in the front row while Samipeni Finau and Josh Lord have been named at lock.
One-test All Black Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi is set to partner Gatland in the halves, with Xavier Roe covering No 9 from the bench.
Last weekend’s sole debutant, Rameka Poihipi, has been entrusted the No 12 jersey and Sean Wainui will captain the squad at centre.
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Chiefs regular Shaun Stevenson has been named on the left wing with Bailyn Sullivan set to make his first appearance of the year on the right. Kaleb Trask completes the team at fullback.
There are four more Chiefs debutants in the reserves in the form of Ezekiel Lindenmuth, Tom Florence, Rivez Reihana and Gideon Wrampling. Lindenmuth and Florence have experience at Super Rugby level in the past with Florence earning a solitary cap for the Highlanders last year and Lindenmuth spending two years with the Blues.
There’s experience on the pine with All Blacks Nathan Harris and Liam Messam – who has more caps than the rest of the forwards put together – both set to make an impact later in the match.
The Blues have made a handful of changes to their starting XV – including elevating the incredibly promising Zarn Sullivan into the fold. #SuperRugbyAotearoa #BLUvCHIhttps://t.co/sc2RCazhD0
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 29, 2021
Altogether, the squad features 12 players who have made or will make their first appearances for the Chiefs this year.
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The 21 changes are in somewhat of a contrast to the message delivered by assistant coach David Hill earlier this week.
“I don’t think we’re willing to rest anyone,” he said on Tuesday.
“We had a pile of players come in Monday morning ready to play again. So they’re obviously enjoying their rugby, they’re always keen to play and pull on the Chiefs jersey. And, I think playing the Blues, that rivalry has got a few of them pretty excited.
“Our best preparation for a final is actually having a good week this week and putting in a performance we are proud of on the weekend.
“So it’s just a matter of finding the mix for this game. They’re on a four or five-day turnaround having played Sunday afternoon, they’ll be banged up, so we’re looking at putting out a team that can beat them.”
The likes of Richie Mo'unga and Damian McKenzie have started every match for their #SuperRugbyAotearoa sides while developing players have been left holding tackle bags on the sidelines. There are going to be consequences.
✍️ @TomVinicombe.https://t.co/hH9Fv443rB
— RugbyPass+ (@RugbyPassPlus) April 27, 2021
With many of the Chiefs players carrying a heavy load this year after the side suffered two defeats in their opening two matches, Saturday’s clash looms as the first real chance that McMillan has to rest his charges.
Naturally, the top side will be fielded next weekend in the final and the bulk of that team will likely be retained for when the Chiefs take on the three best sides in Australia – the Western Force, Brumbies and Reds – in the three weeks following.
Saturday’s match kicks off at 7:05pm NZT with the first-ever Super Rugby Women’s game taking place at 4:35pm.
Comments on RugbyPass
The Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to comments