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Super Rugby Pacific

Ex-Crusader debuts, All Black star returns for the Chiefs

(Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images)

All Black hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho will make his much-awaited return to rugby from the bench this weekend when the Chiefs host the Brumbies.

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The 2022 breakout international star will play his first professional game since suffering an achilles injury against the Hurricanes in last year’s semi-final.

Elsewhere in the team, ex-Crusader and ex-Force winger Manasa Mataele will make his club debut for the Chiefs starting on the wing.

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Form winger Leroy Carter, who has taken Super Rugby Pacific by storm over the opening fortnight, has been put on a rest week.

All Blacks Cortez Ratima, Quinn Tupaea and Samipeni Finau return to the starting side after being eased into the season.

Tupaea returns to the No.12 jersey after coming off the bench in his 50th cap and grabbing a brace against the Crusaders.

The Chiefs have opted to keep Damian McKenzie at fullback after a strong 2-0 start with the All Black playmaker in the 15 jersey.

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“We’re all really pleased for Samisoni. He’s worked hard to get back around the target date we had set and it’s exciting to have him available again,” head coach Clayton McMillan said.

“Manasa gets his chance after working hard through the pre-season and it’s a great opportunity for him to have his first run in front of our fans at FMG Stadium Waikato.

“It’s going to be a huge day for the club, with the Manawa playing before us and the Rugby and Rhythms Festival happening around it all.”

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Chiefs team to play the Brumbies:

1. Aidan Ross
2. Brodie McAlister
3. George Dyer
4. Josh Lord
5. Tupou Vaa’i (c)
6. Samipeni Finau
7. Jahrome Brown
8. Simon Parker
9. Cortez Ratima
10. Josh Jacomb
11. Manasa Mataele (club debut)
12. Quinn Tupaea
13. Anton Lienert-Brown
14. Emoni Narawa
15. Damian McKenzie

Reserves
16. Samisoni Taukei’aho
17. Ollie Norris
18. Sione Ahio
19. Naitoa Ah Kuoi
20. Kaylum Boshier
21. Xavier Roe
22. Daniel Rona
23. Gideon Wrampling

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Comments on RugbyPass

b
benny_pea 10 minutes ago
What The Rugby Championship needs to do to rival the Six Nations

It was the greatest Six Nations in the competition’s 26-year history. It might go down as the greatest rugby union tournament of any iteration, be that a World Cup, Rugby Championship, Tri-Nations or Heineken Cup. That is a very very bold statement. It was just phenomenal yes, but comparing it to even the 2023 World Cup is absurd.

5 Go to comments
J
JS 19 minutes ago
Champ Rugby secures multi-year title sponsorship deal

Two things. Firstly how much is the sponsorship worth, and does it all go to the Championship ? Ridiculous to publish an article that doesn't give that information.

Secondly the Championship had an excellent, far better known sponsor in Greene King until Dollar Bill and O’Shea hatcheted the funding to the Championship. Good luck to the new sponsors - I hope it works for both parties. But let's not pretend this is a great leap forward.



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1 Go to comments
H
HitchikersPie 22 minutes ago
What The Rugby Championship needs to do to rival the Six Nations

The rugby championship, and before then tri-nations has chopped and changed formats so many times, it’s been as many as 3 games against everyone, and as little as 1 game each, often in World Cup years. Even now the “mini-tour” innovation is a new one to help minimise the travel in the tournament, while still ensuring everyone gets enough home games to sell to fans.

The 6 Nations is uniquely blessed for such a tight geography and set of timezones, and there’s very little the Southern Hemisphere can do to combat this.



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5 Go to comments
E
Ed the Duck 40 minutes ago
What The Rugby Championship needs to do to rival the Six Nations

Hard to disagree with anything said but the other problem that doesn’t go away is the time zone difference, and that introduces a challenge that isn’t easily addressed, as Super Rugby discovered. So it’s probably worth trying but there are no guarantees that the format will fly, at least not on a similar trajectory to the 6N.

5 Go to comments
E
Ed the Duck 49 minutes ago
Why England may be in better shape to win the 2027 Rugby World Cup than France

So just remind me again, who exactly was Englands “big number 8” in the six nations that accounts for so many tackles not made?

19 Go to comments
E
Ed the Duck 54 minutes ago
Why England may be in better shape to win the 2027 Rugby World Cup than France

Didn’t someone bang on ad infinitum not too long ago about the exponential value and experience to be gained from winning Test matches away from home in preparation for the World Cup?

Now let’s see, France went one from two and won the championship while England were, let’s see, ZERO from three!



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R
RW 57 minutes ago
What The Rugby Championship needs to do to rival the Six Nations

I like it.

It would be lovely if the bigger teams get to go to Fiji. they have had almost all their fixtures away.



...

5 Go to comments
J
John Breslin 1 hour ago
Andy Farrell addresses contract talk with IRFU over Ireland future

And pint will be put to mouth even sooner

14 Go to comments
E
Ed the Duck 1 hour ago
Andy Farrell addresses contract talk with IRFU over Ireland future

Pen will have been put to paper, one way or another, before that!

14 Go to comments
S
SK 1 hour ago
Why England may be in better shape to win the 2027 Rugby World Cup than France

This is all very glass half full but when you look at the cold hard facts you have to ask yourself where Englands defence will develop in the next 18 months? You also have to ask if 18 months and 15 or so matches is enough time to develop their attacking game under Borthwick. Clive Woodward had an awesome top class coaching staff with a squad that included top of class players right through the backs and forwards and world beating leaders. They were the envy of the World for the 2 or 3 years leading up to the 2003 world cup and scored wins in NZ and Australia before the tourney and away to South Africa a couple of years prior to that. This England side has no big match temperament, have not won away from home against any of the big sides including in France where they butchered 2 games in a row in the last 3 years. In NZ they also butchered a chance to win. When the pressure comes this team rarely finds a way to win. France have at least picked up wins in Ireland and at Twickenham. They havent covered themselves in glory on their southern tours but their impressive home record is in tact bar the loss to South Africa last year and the terrible loss to Ireland in 2024. France have an awe inspiring backline with magicians right through, they have plenty of power in forwards and world leading coaches. Add to that the brilliant Top 14 and I rate they are better off than the English. Sure they have their problems but I aint buying even the suggestion that England are better placed to win the showpiece than them.

19 Go to comments
J
John Breslin 1 hour ago
Six Nations half-term report: 'France lead the charge in struggle for the soul of rugby'

“Or are you happy that there will become no distinction between forwards and backs in the future”?

Physically perhaps but the skill sets will always be different



...

392 Go to comments
J
John Breslin 1 hour ago
Six Nations half-term report: 'France lead the charge in struggle for the soul of rugby'

It's not remotely silly. The boks disgraced us in the scrum in Nov and we’d 6 cards across the game.

That should be the mitigation when discussing a 30-40 PT win. They won by 11 PTS and had to resort to off the ball antics at 77 mins to run the clock and make the game safe



...

392 Go to comments
T
Tom 1 hour ago
What The Rugby Championship needs to do to rival the Six Nations

Yeah some sensible changes. It's never going to rival the 6N in terms of engagement, jeopardy and just pure animosity. There is great rugby rivalry between your nations but there isn't the same shared history of bloodshed and skulduggery.

It'd be cool to see the Boks and ABs go at each other over 3 tests. That would really stoke things up.



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J
John Breslin 1 hour ago
Six Nations half-term report: 'France lead the charge in struggle for the soul of rugby'

I'm saying there was no mismatch and yet a player was still millimetres from a clean neck break

Imagine it was a physical mismatch? It's common sense that there are minimum physical requirements in certain positions



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392 Go to comments
J
John Breslin 1 hour ago
Four key Ireland players sign new deals with IRFU

It may have to be a sober one this year. Last weekend is catching up on me!!!

3 Go to comments
J
John Breslin 1 hour ago
Andy Farrell addresses contract talk with IRFU over Ireland future

We've Australia in 109 days time. I'm not looking beyond that

14 Go to comments
S
SteveD 1 hour ago
'Absolute madness': Ireland fans are particularly furious at Henry Pollock

Not some of the ones I’ve seen at Twickenham in the past!! And I’ll tell you one thing about Bollock - he’ll ignore any ‘chat’. Just another privileged and rude Posh Boy. As an oik originally from South East London I can assure you on that.

216 Go to comments
G
GS 1 hour ago
Four key Ireland players sign new deals with IRFU

That should make for an even better Paddy’s day for you and your mates John

3 Go to comments
J
JD 1 hour ago
Faf de Klerk transfer saga nears completion with deal almost signed

It’s most certainly not up to him as to whether he makes the squad.

It would be fitting I agree, same for Willie, but the emotion has to come out of it.



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5 Go to comments
J
JD 1 hour ago
Wallaby centre Josh Flook adds more Super Rugby experience to URC club

So no mention of the fact that the Reds and Treviso have a partnership? Or that Flook was there for 2 months or so at the start of the 25/26 seson? Yes he was injured and didn’t play, but it’s sort of relevant. Not a complete bolt from the blue announcement given the relationship and Menoncello being off.

1 Go to comments
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