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McKenzie returns for Chiefs as McMillan names 2023 squad

By Ned Lester
Damian McKenzie celebrates kicking the game-winning penalty for the Chiefs. Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images

The Gallagher Chiefs squad assembling for the 2023 DHL Super Rugby Pacific competition may be one of the most established yet. Of the 38 players named; 15 have run out in the black jersey, seven are named in the current All Blacks squad, and five in the All Blacks XV.

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Gallagher Chiefs Head Coach Clayton McMillan says he is really excited about the 2023 Gallagher Chiefs.

“There is a lot of consistency in our selection with only four new recruits, and the return of fan favourite Damian McKenzie, as additions to the squad. This is reflected in our belief that we are trending in the right direction. Our relatively young squad is maturing nicely and we have developed genuine cohesion and depth across the squad. We look forward to getting into our work over the summer and hitting the ground running in front of our loyal fans next year.”

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Of the new additions to the Gallagher Chiefs in 2023, two are transfers from the Highlanders who bring with them many seasons of Super Rugby experience.

24-year-old Ngantungane Punivai has four Super Rugby seasons already under his belt, two with the Crusaders before his time with the Highlanders. His versatility across wing and centre positions is advantageous and he has put in quality performances this season with Bunnings Warehouse NPC runner-up, Canterbury.

Bay of Plenty Lock Manaaki Selby-Rickit also transfers from the Highlanders adding further height, standing at 2.03m, and depth to the squad.

Counties Manukau rookie Peniasi Malimali will make his DHL Super Rugby Pacific debut for the Gallagher Chiefs in the new year, with his explosive speed, the 25-year-old Fijian will be an asset on the wing.

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Taranaki prop, Jared Proffit, secures his first full-time Super Rugby Pacific contact in 2023 off the back of his debut for the Hurricanes during the 2022 season. Recently, Proffit was awarded Yarrows Taranaki Bulls Forward of the Year for his efforts during the Bunnings Warehouse NPC season.

In addition to the new recruits, Damian McKenzie returns to the Gallagher Chiefs after his season stint with the Tokyo Sungoliath. The All Black will reunite with Bryn Gatland and Rivez Reihana to form a very talented first-five trio for the season.

Gallagher Chiefs Director of Rugby Warren Gatland said the Chiefs Rugby Club is extremely excited about the squad they have assembled for DHL Super Rugby Pacific 2023.

“Over the last three seasons some young, talented players have developed exceptionally well. There is a nice balance between the youth we have in the squad and experienced internationals. There have not been many changes in the squad, and we believe we will benefit from that continuity. After making the semi-finals in 2022, we hope that we would have learnt from that experience and can push to be in the mix again next year.”

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2023 Gallagher Chiefs squad:

Naitoa Ah Kuoi (Bay of Plenty, 33)
Kaylum Boshier (Taranaki, 13)
Sam Cane (Bay of Plenty, 136)
George Dyer (Waikato, 7)
Samipeni Finau (Waikato, 17)
Bryn Gatland (North Harbour, 23)
Josh Ioane (Otago, 8)
Luke Jacobson (Waikato, 48)
Anton Lienert-Brown (Waikato, 98)
Josh Lord (Taranaki, 15)
Peniasi Malimali (Counties Manukau, 0)*
Damian McKenzie (Waikato, 95)
Laghlan McWhannell (Waikato, 3)
Atunaisa Moli (Tasman, 53)
Etene Nanai-Seturo (Counties Manukau, 28)
Alex Nankivell (Tasman, 57)
Emoni Narawa (Bay of Plenty, 9)
Ollie Norris (Waikato, 27)
Simon Parker (Waikato, 3)
Rameka Poihipi (Canterbury, 13)
Jared Proffit (Taranaki, 0)*
Ngantungane Punivai (Canterbury, 0)*
Cortez-Lee Ratima (Waikato, 9)
Rivez Reihana (Northland, 8)
Brodie Retallick (Hawkes Bay, 114)
Xavier Roe (Waikato, 16)
Aidan Ross (Bay of Plenty, 60)
Manaaki Selby-Rickit (Bay of Plenty, 0)*
Bradley Slater (Taranaki, 38)
Pita Gus Sowakula (Taranaki, 52)
Shaun Stevenson (North Harbour, 67)
Angus Ta’avao (Auckland, 61)
Samisoni Taukei’aho (Waikato, 62)
Tyrone Thompson (Hawkes Bay, 5)
Quinn Tupaea (Waikato, 33)
Tupou Vaa’i (Taranaki, 30)
Brad Weber (Hawkes Bay, 109)
Gideon Wrampling (Waikato, 1)

Brackets denote players’ provincial union and Gallagher Chiefs caps.
* denotes a player that is yet to debut for the Gallagher Chiefs
Bolded players denote a rookie, those who have signed their first full-time DHL Super Rugby Pacific contract.

The 2023 Gallagher Chiefs squad will commence their pre-season training at the start of January.

Press Release/Chiefs Rugby

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Jon 8 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 11 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

44 Go to comments
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