Clayton McMillan eases fears around Josh Ioane injury
Clayton McMillan has made five changes to the Chiefs starting line-up for what could be their toughest remaining match of the Super Rugby Pacific regular season, with last week’s star first five invalided from the game due to a rib injury.
Josh Ioane was an instrumental figure for the Chiefs in the formative stages of their win over the Hurricanes last weekend and McMillan would have no doubt been planning on keeping the former Highlander in the No 10 jersey for their clash with the Blues in Hamilton on Saturday night.
Ioane made one bad mistake in the opening minutes of the game, gifting TJ Perenara a intercept try that could have put the Chiefs on the back foot, but Ioane’s incisiveness at the line and on-point skip passes helped ignite his team’s attack. Eventually, Ioane was forced to leave the field in the 59th with a rib injury but the strong start from McMillan’s men meant even a late-game comeback from the Hurricanes couldn’t prevent the Chiefs from taking home the points.
Almost a week later, and Ioane is still on the mend.
“He just took a big knock to his ribs late in the game last week and was pretty dusty on Sunday and Monday so [was] never a realistic chance of playing this week,” McMillan said after announcing his squad to take on the Blues.
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“Nothing’s broken but he’s obviously presented really sore so it’s just one of those ones where it’s a ‘wait and see’ approach, really. Not 100 per cent sure [when he’ll be back].”
Ioane and Bryn Gatland have job-shared the first five-eighth duties for the Chiefs this year, with Ioane getting two runs on the board at the start of the campaign and Gatland taking over against the Crusaders (twice) and Moana Pasifika. Splitting the minutes between the two has been somewhat planned since the start of the season, given the ever-present threat of injuries, coupled with the disruption that Covid has brought forward this season.
“As we keep saying, in those driver positions it’s useful to keep them turning over because situations like this are gonna happen and we felt pretty well placed [with Ioane out injured],” McMillan said, while also noting that Saturday’s fullback, Kaleb Trask, is also more than capable of stepping into first receiver should the situation call for it.
“He’s played plenty of games for us at 10 and that probably facilitated him being in the matchday 23. We’ve gotta have two 10s and he’s more than capable of stepping up there if required.”
Trask has taken over from Emoni Narawa, who shifts onto the right wing in place of the in-form Alex Nankivell. Nankivell, in his 50th game, has been reinstated in the midfield with All Black Quinn Tupaea getting a break from the action after starting all six of the Chiefs’ games to date.
“A little bit of [it is rewarding Alex Nankivell] but also Quinn’s just played big minutes and we need to manage them,” McMillan said. “He’s pretty much started every game.
“We’ve managed to get him off early a few times. We’ve had intentions to leave him out of the 23 or to start him off the bench in previous weeks but Covid and a few injuries sort of dovetailed that. We’re in a healthier position at the moment so this is the week where he gets to freshen up.”
While the squad’s backs remain are now relatively healthy (although Shaun Stevenson and Jonah Lowe haven’t featured for a couple of weeks and are being slowly eased back into action, ostensibly after sitting out due to Covid), the same can’t be said for the second row, where the Chiefs will have to cope without Brodie Retallick, Tupou Vaa’i and Laghlan McWhannell. Thankfully, with Josh Lord and Naitoa Ah Kuoi to call upon, McMillan won’t have any reservations about the competence of his locks heading into Saturday night’s fixture.
“We feel pretty blessed in the locking space,” McMillan said. “We’ve got Samipeni [Finau on the bench] and we’ve got Mitch Brown returning who have all played in the locking position for us for the last few years.
“It’s unfortunate that we’ve been decimated a little bit in that space but we’re still putting out some bloody good men who’ve stood up time and again for us over the last few years so no dramas there.”
McWhannell and Vaa’i are both navigating 10-day concussion stand-downs while prop Sione Mafileo, who was a late withdrawal from last weekend’s match, is also still sidelined.
“Tupou took a head knock – I think it was in our last training last week – so he’s just gotta follow the 10-day protocol which rules him out from this week. He’s bounced back fine so anticipate that he’ll be back on deck next week.
“And in Sione’s case, he’s just picked up a bit of a niggle with his back that it just isn’t worth risking at the moment. [Replacement prop] George Dyer, he hasn’t let us down in the couple of opportunities he’s had. You lose a good man but we’re replacing him with another good one.”
The Blues and Chiefs are sitting in 4th and 6th respectively place on the overall table but a win for the home side on Saturday would leave the two teams neck and neck, with the Blues still to travel to Christchurch to take on the Crusaders and the Chiefs due to host Moana Pasifika in Hamilton next weekend.
This weekend’s fixture kicks off at 7:05pm NZT on Saturday evening.
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
39 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
39 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
39 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
39 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
39 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
39 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
39 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments