No Sam Cane as Chiefs ring in the changes for Moana Pasifika clash
Following a thrilling victory over the Crusaders in Christchurch, the Gallagher Chiefs team has been named to face Moana Pasifika at Mt Smart Stadium this Saturday, March 19.
Kicking off at 7.05pm, the new fixture was announced yesterday due to COVID outbreaks in the Blues, Highlanders, and Crusaders squads which forced NZR to amend the DHL Super Rugby Pacific Round 5 schedule. The fixture will be the only DHL Super Rugby Pacific match played in New Zealand this weekend.
Gallagher Chiefs Head Coach Clayton McMillan has named his side to head to Mt Smart Stadium in their first official match against the Super Rugby Pacific newcomers.
In the forward pack, the same front row that started against the Highlanders in Round 1 has been named with Ollie Norris at loosehead prop, Bradley Slater at hooker and Sione Mafileo at tighthead. A familiar locking duo from Round 1 will also feature with Laghlan McWhannell starting alongside Brodie Retallick.
In the loose forwards, Tupou Vaa’i moves back to blindside flanker accompanied by Waikato and former Glasgow Warriors’ flanker Hamilton Burr, who will make his Super Rugby Pacific debut on the openside. The in-form powerhouse Pita Gus Sowakula once again claims the starting Number 8 position.
In the backline, Co-Captain Brad Weber returns to start at halfback to pair up with in-form first five-eighth Bryn Gatland. After scoring the match winner last week, Rameka Poihipi gains his first start of 2022 at second five-eighth with Alex Nankivell at centre.
In the back three, Jonah Lowe returns to the starting line-up on the left wing with Emoni Narawa shifting to the right wing. M?ori All Black Kaleb Trask gets his first start of the season at fullback to round out the starting fifteen.
Two possible Super Rugby Pacific debutants have been named on the bench with Wellington’s Tyrone Thompson covering Slater at hooker and Waikato front rower Solomone Tukuafu named in jersey 18. Atu Moli will round out the front row replacements in jersey 17.
Waikato’s Samipeni Finau will be looking to get his first opportunity to take the field this season, as will returning senior Gallagher Chief Mitch Brown in jerseys 19 and 20.
Covering the backline, utility back Rivez Reihana claims the number 21 jersey with Josh Ioane returning to the twenty-three in jersey 22. Quinn Tupaea shifts to the bench this week to round out the side to take the field at Mt Smart Stadium.
Gallagher Chiefs Head Coach Clayton McMillan acknowledges the depth in the squad and looks forward to facing the new opponent.
“We are generating some great internal competition at training which is creating both an edge as well as confidence in the depth across our squad. We saw that last week against the Crusaders with a number of our younger players getting an opportunity and standing tall under some immense pressure. Whilst we were happy to get the win, we know we can be better, particularly around basic skills which have let us down at times.” said McMillan.
“We look forward to playing Moana Pasifika for the first time officially. There is a lot of pride in their team and we know they will be eager to perform for their passionate fanbase. They have a talented squad and that was clear to see in their game against the Crusaders. We are certainly on high alert around the challenge they pose.” finished McMillan.
The first official DHL Super Rugby Pacific match between the Gallagher Chiefs and Moana Pasifika will kick off at 7.05pm from Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland, live on Sky Sport.
Gallagher Chiefs to face Moana Pasifika:
1. Ollie Norris
2. Bradley Slater
3. Sione Mafileo
4. Laghlan McWhannell
5. Brodie Retallick
6. Tupou Vaa’i
7. Hamilton Burr**
8. Pita Gus Sowakula
9. Brad Weber ©
10. Bryn Gatland
11. Jonah Lowe
12. Rameka Poihipi
13. Alex Nankivell
14. Emoni Narawa
15. Kaleb Trask
Reserves:
16. Tyrone Thompson**
17. Atu Moli
18. Solomone Tukuafu**
19. Samipeni Finau
20. Mitch Brown
21. Rivez Reihana
22. Josh Ioane
23. Quinn Tupaea
**Denotes Super Rugby Pacific debut
Unavailable for selection:
Luke Jacobson, Reuben O’Neill, Josh Lord, Angus Ta’avao, Kaylum Boshier, Gideon Wrampling, Cortez Ratima, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Sam Cane, Aidan Ross, Tom Florence, Simon Parker, Mitch Jacobson, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Anton Lienert-Brown, George Dyer, Xavier Roe.
Comments on RugbyPass
Je suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
25 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
25 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
25 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
25 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to comments