12 - 41

29 - 19

19 - 27

31 - 23

U20

37 - 38

U20

55 - 10

LIVE

47'

U20

LIVE

51'

U20

Today

13:30

U20

Today

13:30

U20

Today

14:40

Today

16:00

Tuesday

05:00

Super Rugby Pacific

‘Lucky losers’ Chiefs bolstered by return of All Blacks duo for semi

By Finn Morton

38 days ago

Luke Jacobson of the Chiefs leads his team in ahead of the round 14 Super Rugby Pacific match between Chiefs and Hurricanes at FMG Stadium Waikato, on May 24, 2024, in Hamilton, New Zealand. (Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images)

The Chiefs have received a significant boost ahead of their semi-final against the ACT Brumbies in Hamilton, with captain Luke Jacobson and midfielder Quinn Tupaea returning after missing last weekend’s shock loss to the Blues.

Jacobson was a last-minute withdrawal ahead of the Qualifying Final at FMG Stadium, but with the Chiefs moving on as the ‘lucky loser’ from that stage of the competition, the openside bolsters a formidable Chiefs outfit ready to make amends.

Coach Clayton McMillan has named Jacobson at openside flanker, with the skipper set to link up with Samipeni Finau and Wallace Sititi in the backrow. Naitoa Ah Kuoi and Tupou Vaa’i are the locks, while Ollie Norris, Samisoni Taukei’aho and George Dyer make up the front row.

In the backs, All Blacks Cortez Ratima and Damian McKenzie will combine in the halves, while Tupaea is back in the mix at inside centre. Tupaea will start alongside Daniel Rona in the midfield, while Leory Carter and Emoni start on the wings.

Japan-bound Shaun Stevenson will wear the No. 15 jersey as the team’s starting fullback. Then on the bench, McMillan has named the likes of Kaylum Boshier, Josh Jacomb and Gideon Wrampling to provide impact off the bench.

“They’ve proven themselves as the top Australian side. They’re hardened, well-drilled and know how to close out a tight contest. Their performance against the Hurricanes shows they can be clinical and composed under pressure,” McMillan said in a statement.

We know they bring a different style of rugby. It’s structured, with a strong set piece and smart kicking game, and we’re prepared for that.

“This week is about fronting up physically, staying disciplined, and backing our style to rise to the occasion.”

This semi-final between the Chiefs and Blues at FMG Stadium Waikato will kick off at 7:05 pm NZT on Saturday evening.

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins

Draws

Wins

Average Points scored

First try wins

60%

Home team wins

80%

Chiefs team to take on Blues

Ollie Norris
Samisoni Taukei’aho
George Dyer
Naitoa Ah Kuoi
Tupou Vaa’i
Samipeni Finau
Luke Jacobson
Wallace Sititi
Cortez Ratima
Damian McKenzie
Leroy Carter
Quinn Tupaea
Daniel Rona
Emoni Narawa
Shaun Stevenson

Replacements

Brodie McAlister
Jared Proffit
Reuben O’Neill
Jimmy Tupou
Kaylum Boshier
Xavier Roe
Josh Jacomb
Gideon Wrampling

Comments

4 Comments

Cantab 38 days ago

Jacobsen & Tupaea absence last week was possibly the major factor that enabled the Blues to upset Chiefs. Tough luck Brumbies.

BA 37 days ago

I think the major factor in the game was Blues had all the ball all territory down the stretch and are a good enough team to be able to stay in the game and then control it at the end if we talking missing players jeez blues had Ofa Darry Perofeta Saufoa( much love to the brutha) Cam Christie ( looks a gun) all teams down players ..

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Comments on RugbyPass

Ed the Duck 11 minutes ago

Lions vs Wallabies takes: Curry in red hot form, Suaalii suffocated

TMO and BOTH assistants told BO’K not to make a total twaht of himself and he rewrote his view somewhat comically. It’s episodes like that that leave refs with their rep completely shredded!

The headline full game stats are entirely misleading. The Lions were destroying Aus first half and it’s pretty clear the prevailing view was not to go there.

Wallabies ‘big guns’ only play North-South and don’t fit JS game plan, unless he does a 180?

Lions definitely haven’t fielded their best team since Lowe was a shocker, Freeman poor by his standards and Keenan not at the races either (yes, I know…). Morgan, JvdF, Kinghorn, Darcy and Duhan will improve that team based on today’s performance, if they get the chance. Itoje wasn’t great either but unlikely he will be dropped.

7 Go to comments

SC 11 minutes ago

All Blacks player ratings vs France | Lipovitan-D July Series 3rd Test

I agree Toaster on both Ratima and McKenzie. They looked out of sync as if they had not played much rugby together.

25 Go to comments

Mike 16 minutes ago

Tom Curry shows anger at criticism with bizarre interaction

On behalf of BILs supporters everywhere, I will thank the keyboard warriors for apparently p*ssing off and revving up Tom Curry … he was immense!

1 Go to comments

SC 17 minutes ago

All Blacks player ratings vs France | Lipovitan-D July Series 3rd Test

McAlister’s line-out throwing was terrible and he would have received a grade of 4 if he had not scored the try supporting Barrett’s linebreak showing a good burst of pace and hustle.

25 Go to comments

SC 19 minutes ago

All Blacks player ratings vs France | Lipovitan-D July Series 3rd Test

Well I have been very critical of Finau and ALB but I thought both were good and deserved a rating of 7 each.

Finau upped his work rate and was a pretty effective ball carrier in wide channels and put in a couple of big tackles. His best test to date.

ALB was not perfect with a poor dropped pass and a silly penalty but he did run hard and got through gaps on half breaks and he was very good on defence with no poor reads or missed tackles.

25 Go to comments

Mike 22 minutes ago

'Hopefully we got him off in time': Andy Farrell's worrying Joe McCarthy update

Guessing they would start Ollie Chessum at TH lock if Joe is ruled out. Not losing anything physically - Ollie is a unit, to put it mildly, and played there for England in the 6N with George Martin out injured - but he is not quite the “grunter” that Joe is, hence happy on the blindside as well as at lock. So might require a little bit of adaptation to the game plan.

1 Go to comments

SC 23 minutes ago

All Blacks player ratings vs France | Lipovitan-D July Series 3rd Test

Hotham had a much better test than Ratima had in any of his three tests.

25 Go to comments

SC 24 minutes ago

All Blacks player ratings vs France | Lipovitan-D July Series 3rd Test

Savea was a 4 the first half with two really stupid decisions in his own 22m costing 6 points and giving France momentum. He was a 9 in the second half. An overall rating of 6.5 would be accurate.

25 Go to comments

Carlos 31 minutes ago

'Pretty stupid... This isn’t just him; this is Jamo, this is Bundee, Finlay. This is me'

What did anyone expect him to say?

1 Go to comments

IkeaBoy 52 minutes ago

Lions vs Wallabies takes: Curry in red hot form, Suaalii suffocated

That fairly gets the TMO off the hook…

Kicking for the posts late in the game certainly screams ‘hiding’.

The lions are only losing players to injury every game, the Wallabies have big guns to come back.

For all the pack dominance it wasn't scoreboard pressure. Turnovers won was even while the Lions actually lost considerably more turnovers the than the wallabies.

That will be lost on neither coach but the Lions have already fielded their best team.

If Keenan has played himself out of the team and Kinghorn isn't still fit, imagine they start the next test with Smith at #15?

7 Go to comments

Hammer Head 1 hour ago

Georgia vs South Africa | Live & Latest Rugby Union Scores & Results | RugbyPass

The one thing we can thank the Georgians and Italians for is setting a high bar around the breakdown.

Zero room for complacency and the fitness levels and work rate required to secure your own ball against them has been a real challenge. Welcome feedback for the boks to work on.

Speed to the breakdown. Cardio and work rate. The rest is pretty solid.

5 Go to comments

Rob 1 hour ago

Only two Wallabies would get in this Lions side – Andy Goode

The fact that New Zealand South Africa and Australia have gotten kids in on scholarships to rugby schools and whatnot shouldn’t change the fact that they’re not from those countries then. It works both ways, don’t throw stones in glass houses

19 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 1 hour ago

Lions vs Wallabies takes: Curry in red hot form, Suaalii suffocated

Think you’ll find it was old bean.

As for who takes more from it, clearly O’Keefe since he was the reason the wallabies didn’t get a real hiding. That and faz’s bold decision to pull off Russell for Smith. Clearly not good for business to have the wallabies ground into the dust by match day one, which is exactly where things were headed!

7 Go to comments

Rob 1 hour ago

Only two Wallabies would get in this Lions side – Andy Goode

And I’m actually telling him they have citizenship so if he wants to talk nationality there are very few international teams that can boast they are all made up of players originating from that country. If he still wants to go down that line you’re getting into ethnicity which is murky territory

19 Go to comments

IkeaBoy 1 hour ago

Hugo Keenan: 'Last man standing, safe pair of hands or world-class operator?'

Most definitely.

6 Go to comments

IkeaBoy 1 hour ago

Lions vs Wallabies takes: Curry in red hot form, Suaalii suffocated

No, it wouldn't be.