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Chiefs team to play Crusaders in round one of Super Rugby Pacific
The Gallagher Chiefs have named an experienced line-up boasting more than 1000 caps for the club against the Crusaders in the opening round of DHL Super Rugby Pacific.
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The starting forward pack have an average 65 Chiefs caps each while the backs average 72 caps in the side to run out against the Super Rugby Champions in Christchurch on Friday.
The Gallagher Chiefs are looking forward to the venture south following their acclaimed victory at Orangetheory Stadium last season, with five of their 10 wins in Super Rugby coming away from home.
“First of all, our hearts and thoughts are with all families who have lost loved ones in the cyclone and have suffered such devastation. It puts a game of sport into perspective for us all,” said Gallagher Chiefs coach, Clayton McMillan.
“With their record, the Crusaders deserve nothing but respect, but we believe in our ability and capacity to perform at their home fortress.
“It has been a relatively short build-up but we are raring to go. The team have worked extremely hard and we have managed to come through the pre-season relatively injury-free, barring a few frustrating niggles.
“In a World Cup year there is a lot at stake for individual players, but right now our focus is 100 per cent on being at our collective best week-in and week-out, and if we do that, winning a Super Rugby title is a realistic goal for us.”
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The team for Friday’s game boasts nine All Blacks, mostly in the pack, where they are led by All Blacks captain Sam Cane, the indomitable Brodie Retallick and their omnipresent hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho.
There will be interest in tighthead John Ryan, who has played nearly 200 games for Munster and 24 caps for Ireland. He arrived this week for the season as a replacement for All Black Angus Ta’avao who is recovering from neck surgery, and the Irishman has been immediately pressed into action on the bench.
Luke Jacobson will start at No.8 for his 50th game for the Gallagher Chiefs.
Co-Captain and Gallagher Chiefs centurion Brad Weber will guide the backline with the outstanding Damian McKenzie preferred at first-five inside fellow international Anton Lienert-Brown, who will move to within one game of becoming the latest Gallagher Chief to reach 100 games for the club.
There’s an exciting look to the outside backs, led by the skilful Shaun Stevenson at fullback.
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Chiefs team to play Crusaders (Chiefs caps):
1. Aidan Ross (61)
2. Samisoni Taukei’aho (63)
3. George Dyer (8)
4. Brodie Retallick (115)
5. Tupou Vaa’i (31)
6. Pita Gus Sowakula (53)
7. Sam Cane (Co-Captain, 137)
8. Luke Jacobson (49)
9. Brad Weber (Co-Captain, 110)
10. Damian McKenzie (95)
11. Etene Nanai-Seturo (29)
12. Anton Lienert-Brown (98)
13. Alex Nankivell (58)
14. Solomon Alaimalo (48)
15. Shaun Stevenson (67)
Reserves:
16. Bradley Slater (39)
17. Ollie Norris (28)
18. John Ryan (Debut)
19. Naitoa Ah Kuoi (34)
20. Samipeni Finau (18)
21. Cortez Ratima (9)
22. Josh Ioane (9)
23. Rameka Poihipi (14)
Players not considered because of injury: Angus Ta’avao (season), Atu Moli, Josh Lord, Quinn Tupaea, Emoni Narawa, Ngatungane Punivai.
-Press Release/Chiefs
Comments on RugbyPass
Hi Nick. Thanks for your +++ ongoing analysis. Re Vunivalu, He’s been benched recently and it will be interesting to see what Kiss does with him as we enter the backend of SRP. I’m still not sold.
83 Go to commentsIn the fine tradition of Irish rugby, Leinster cheat well and for some reason only known to whoever referees them, they are allowed to get away with it every single game. If teams have not got the physicality up front to stop them getting the ball, they will win every single game. They take out players beyond the ruck and often hold them on the ground. Those that are beyond the ruck and therefore offside, hover there to cause distraction but also to join the next ruck from the side thereby stopping the jackal. The lineout prior to the second try on Saturday. 3 Leinster players left the lineout before the ball was thrown and were driving the maul as soon as the player hit the ground and thereby getting that valuable momentum. They scrummage illegally, with the looshead turning in to stop the opposing tighthead from pushing straight and making it uncomfortable for the hooker. The tighthead takes a step and tries to get his opposite loosehead to drop the bind. Flankers often ‘move up’ and actually bind on the prop and not remain bound to the second row. It does cause chaos and is done quickly and efficiently so that referees are blinded by the illegal tactics. I am surprised opposition coaches when they meet referees before games don’t mention it. I am also surprised that they do not go to the referees group and ask them to look at the tactics used and referee them properly. If they are the better team and win, fair play but a lot of their momentum is gained illegally and therefore it is not a level playing field.
1 Go to commentsI’d be fascinated to see what other candidates you all might have for the Lions captaincy role. Let me know, below 👍
1 Go to comments“ planning for the next cycle….” Sigh ill-advised language Elton old juice bean. Ppersonally glad you self-eliminated yourself, there were better players in the position around you.
3 Go to commentsRegardless of best in world etc. Lawes was outstanding against Leinster and has been all season. Looked like three try saving turnovers. His turnovers also contributed to NH scores. Immense performance.
2 Go to commentsDickson now considered the top ref in England it appears. Good that these series are getting one NH and one SH ref.
2 Go to commentsI don’t think any coach or selector would ever rely on Blackadder being available for selection. I didn’t think it would be possible but he has easily eclipsed Ennor as they most injured player of all time. IMO a symptom of today’s game where players are required to carry at least 10kg of extra mass from when they first hit the scene in their early 20s. Some players respond well to this, maybe due to genetics allowing them to recover faster, or not having reached their peak natural weight yet, but for others the constant training to maintain their weight eats away at recovery time and they spend most of their careers injured.
4 Go to commentsThanks for the lesson Nick! I presume that targeting gaps is situational because if a ball carrier straightens the line they can't be allowed a gap to run into? It feels like you need depth if you're going to pass it wide and plenty of variety - straight running, kicks just in behind, cross kicks etc. BTW what an incredible bench Toulouse had this week. People complain about Leinster being stacked but they need to be at the very highest level.
20 Go to comments2015 was by far the best team. They have had many good backlines over the years but the 2015 team was one of the few to have an absolute world class forward pack - all of them international quality. 6 ABs, 1 future English player, and one that would have gone on to ABs had he not been forced to retire due to concussion. This current team doesn’t have the same size and experience at lock, but providing they can keep this many talented young players (who have all significantly increased their profile this year) together for another 2 years they could eclipse the 2015 team.
2 Go to commentsAnd I’ve just seen RA has topped up the offer to Paisami and extended it beyond 3 years and he’s signed. Great news
83 Go to commentsInteresting watching Amaua starting to fire. No idea why he was pulled so early against the Reds.
4 Go to commentsNice to read something positive about Vunivalu; it doesn’t happen often. I despair for rugby in Oz. Unless some form of compensation for the teams producing players is devised, there is no obvious way for us to combat poachers coming to grab players in their prime with bigger pay cheques. A return to the SR crowds we were getting in 2010-2014 and a quadrupling of the TV deal would be a start but I don’t see how those things happen. Perhaps the government could be encouraged to deliver tax breaks like in Ireland?
83 Go to commentsI wasn’t aware that the blitz targeted space so, as usual, something learned from reading one of your articles, Nick. Watching the game live I attributed the Saints’ inaccuracy to their own mistakes and nerves. Perhaps some credit to the Leinster D.
20 Go to commentsGotta give it to you Graham, you support your players and team to the hilt. There may be strains of exaggeration laced throughout but gotta love the passionate parochialism.
2 Go to commentsNice one Nick. No doubt Vunivalu’s involvements and work rate are improving this year in attack, but I still think he is too raw on the defensive and backfield part of his game to be considered as a starter. Wales would just kick and run it to his side all night as the brumbies have done to good effect in the past. But, his size/power will keep him in the convo with Mark N leaving and Petaia’s injury record. Hunter definitely enjoying an injury-free run this season and being given the keys by Kiss - I have always been a fan of his. All I’d say is that his triple threat has been evident since 2020/21. I remember him making a grubber for a petaia try after the siren to beat the Brumbies in Canberra after the 80th minute in 2021. Lastly, Jock Campbell, who I know isn’t at the top of your list, I thought had alot of positive involvements in the saders game including both of Tim ryan’s tries and Mcreights
83 Go to commentsAg please, Pieter Stef Du Toit has played circles around this clown.
2 Go to commentsJust celebrating the Bok’s 1648th consecutive day as RWC champions. They are also the Qatar Airways Cup winners, which I know BennieBoy cares about a lot.
2 Go to commentsGood to here positive stories towards Aus Rugby. Although that might be the case, and highers up are right about Jordie, I wouldn’t stress trying to retain him. What I have seen of him in recent times is that he’s not using that something special. I feel there a better ‘something special’ options coming through that they won’t have to compete with league for, hell even in Kerevi and Paisami (isn’t it great to finally see his ability getting recognized, probably taking this article in isolation too much here).
83 Go to commentsgreat article! I wonder whether we will we see Ireland adopt the Nienaber blitz? All the teams who have tried it so far (SA included) have gone through significant teething problems in the first season; Ireland could possibly be in the unique position of being able to switch to a hard blitz in season 2 of a world cup cycle and already have so many players used to the system that it can be implemented seamlessly.
20 Go to commentsThey probably left another 20 on the field to be fair. Also - the officiating was… ordinary.
1 Go to comments