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Chiefs welcome All Blacks halves back into the fold for Rebels confrontation
Coach Clayton McMillan has made six changes to the Chiefs’ starting line-up ahead of their clash with the Melbourne Rebels on Sunday afternoon.
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With just three rounds left to play before the quarter-finals, McMillan has rested some of the side’s key contributors in recent weeks while handed opportunities to some of the players who’ve shouldered a lighter workload.
The front-row of Aidan Ross, Samisoni Taukei’aho and Angus Ta’avao has been maintained for the fourth week in succession but there’s one change to the locks, with All Black Tupou Vaa’i earning a rest week having clocked up eight appearances over the Chiefs’ 11 matches to date. In his place, Naitoa Ah Kuoi earns just his third start of the season despite being some a key performer for the side throughout 2021 and will partner Josh Lord.
Pita Gus Sowakula also gets a rest from the starting line-up but will take a spot on the bench and look to add impact later in the match. After entering the season in some hot form, Sowakula’s streak has cooled in recent times and a lighter workload in the coming weeks might help bring the best out of the Fijian back-rower in the final rounds of the Super Rugby Pacific season. Luke Jacobson will shift from the blindside flank to cover Sowakula’s absence while Samipeni Finau will slot into the No 6 jersey.
Cortez Ratima and Bryn Gatland – the halves who have led the team over the past four weeks – are both absent from the matchday 23 with All Blacks Brad Weber and Josh Ioane making their returns from injury to run the cutter while there’s also a change in the midfield. Alex Nankivell, who’s started in every game this season for the Chiefs, finally gets a week off and his spot in the No 13 jersey will be filled by Rameka Poihipi. Quinn Tupaea holds his position at second five-eighth.
In the outside backs, Emoni Narawa comes into the team for Jonah Lowe while left wing Etene Nanai-Seturo and fullback Kaleb Trask round out the starting line-up.
On the bench, Tyrone Thompson has been given another shot as the reserve hooker while Ollie Norris, Atunaisa Moli, Mitch Brown and Sowakula will cover the remaining forwards. Xavier Roe, Rivez Reihana and Inga Finau will add impact in the backs.
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“We are well aware of what is at stake over the next three weeks,” said coach McMillan. “Everyone wants to make the finals, ideally at home, and the race to secure points and bring that to fruition is certainly heating up.
“We need to be focused and hungry for each game starting with the Rebels this week. They are a much better side than some of their recent results suggest, and will come out firing in front of their home fans.
Speaking of the changes, McMillan emphasised it was important to have the whole squad ready to step into the team ahead of the knockout football arriving next month.
“There’s just a need to give some guys some minutes to try get our whole squad to a place where we’re fit and firing for a quarterfinal,” he said.
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“That’s not to underestimate the next three games. The Rebels, the Force, the Drua have all demonstrated on their day they can trouble the best teams, so we fully respect that, but it has to be balanced with, for us, an ability to put out a fairly consistent side, but rotate two or three players in or out.
“There’s all a bit of a method in the madness.”
This weekend’s match between the Rebels and Chiefs is due to kick off at 2pm AEST (4pm NZT) on Sunday.
Chiefs: Kaleb Trask, Emoni Narawa, Rameka Poihipi, Quinn Tupaea, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Josh Ioane, Brad Weber, Luke Jacobson, Sam Cane, Samipeni Finau, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Josh Lord, Angus Ta’avao, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Aidan Ross. Reserves: Tyrone Thompson, Ollie Norris, Atunaisa Moli, Pita Gus Sowakula, Mitch Brown, Xavier Roe, Rivez Reihana, Inga Finau.
Comments on RugbyPass
I 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.
8 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.
4 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.
8 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
13 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
13 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?
2 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 commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
4 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to comments