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Damian McKenzie back for the Chiefs’ final pre-season clash against Blues
With some genuine star power back in the mix this week, Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan has issued a challenge to every player in the squad ahead of their final pre-season clash.
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Coach McMillan has called on every player picked in the extended 37-man squad for this match to make their mark in order to “advance your case for selection” during Super Rugby Pacific.
“We have named two teams that will play 40 minutes each,” coach McMillan said in a statement.
“The message to both is clear – if you want to be playing games when points are at stake, these are the opportunities to advance your case for selection.
“The Blues were impressive in Japan where a mix of power and speed made them hard to contain. We look forward to the challenge they present.”
The Chiefs have named two squads of 15 to take on the Blues, as well as a list of seven reserves, at Onewa Domain on the North Shore this Friday. All Blacks duo Luke Jacobson and Damian McKenzie are among those set to take the field for the first time this pre-season.
Chiefs Bronco winner Xavier Roe will line up at halfback with attacking weapons Quinn Tupaea, Anton Lienert-Brown and Josh Ioane also named the same backline.
But the second half is where things get very interesting. Fans will get to see the highly anticipated halves duo of Cortez Ratima and Damian McKenzie in action, as well as a host of other players in that squad.
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Samisoni Taukei’aho joins Aidan Ross and George Dyer in the front row, while Naitoa Ah Kuoi and Tupou Vaa’i round out the tight five. Loose forwards Hamilton Burr, Kaylum Boshier and Luke Jacobson are also in that team.
Joining Ratima and McKenzie in the backs is midfielders Rameka Poihipi and Daniel Rona, while Etene Nanai-Seturo and Liam Coombes Fabling will take their place on the wing.
Try-scoring machine Shaun Stevenson, who debuted for the All Blacks in 2023, will line up out the back at fullback.
The match at Onewa Domain will be broadcast live on Sky Sport 1 and NZR+, but for those looking to go to the match, gates open at 3:00 pm NZT while the game will get underway an hour later.
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Chiefs team to take on Blues
First half
- Ollie Norris, 2. Bradley Slater, 3. Reuben O’Neill, 4. Jimmy Tupou, 5. Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 6. Wallace Sititi, 7. Malachi Wrampling, 8. Tom Florence, 9. Xavier Roe, 10. Josh Jacomb, 11. Peniasi Malimali, 12. Quinn Tupaea, 13. Anton Lienert-Brown, 14. Tana Tuhakaraina, 15. Josh Ioane
Second half
- Aidan Ross, 2. Samisoni Taukei’aho, 3. George Dyer, 4. Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 5. Tupou Vaa’i, 6. Hamilton Burr, 7. Kaylum Boshier, 8. Luke Jacobson, 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Etene Nanai-Seturo, 12. Rameka Poihipi, 13. Daniel Rona, 14. Liam Coombes-Fabling, 15. Shaun Stevenson
Reserves: Millenium Sanerivi, Jared Proffit, Kauvaka Kaivelata, Sione Ahio, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Tevita Ofa, Cody Nordstrom
Not considered for selection this week: Emoni Narawa, Josh Lord, Gideon Wrampling, Tyrone Thompson, Samipeni Finau, Simon Parker, Kaleb Trask
Comments on RugbyPass
Let’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe 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.
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