Emoni Narawa of the Chiefs celebrates with team mates after scoring a try during the round five Super Rugby Pacific match against the Waratahs. Photo / Matt King, Getty Images
Emoni Narawa of the Chiefs celebrates with team mates after scoring a try during the round five Super Rugby Pacific match against the Waratahs. Photo / Matt King, Getty Images
The Gallagher Chiefs are gearing up for a highly-anticipated sixth Super Rugby Pacific game against the Blues this Saturday for which Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan selected a settled and experienced team.
The squad to face the Blues at the FMG Stadium Waikato includes a forward pack boasting a collective 675 caps and a backline with an average of more than 50 caps each.
McMillan says the Blues, the Chiefs closest neighbours, will present a “significant” challenge.
“They are a team stacked with All Blacks... They understand how they want to play and they have the ability to impose that game on you if you allow them.”
“The rivalry seems to bring the best out in both teams and I anticipate this will be a very physical contest,” McMillan says.
McMillan didn’t make many changes to the squad from previous games. It is a settled look to the pack where Ollie Norris will start in the front row with All Black Samisoni Taukei’aho and Irish international John Ryan, who has been thoroughly impressive both on and off the field.
Tupou Vaa’i returns from injury to the middle row with centurion Brodie Retallick while Luke Jacobson returns to join Samipeni Finau and Sam Cane in the loose.
The only change in the backline from last week’s hard-fought win over the Waratahs in Sydney will see Taranaki’s Daniel Rona, 22, get his first start at centre after impressing off the bench.
Damian McKenzie (right) from the Chiefs kicks a penalty goal during the Super Rugby Pacific Round 5 match against the Waratahs. Photo / David Gray, Photosport
There is also plenty of power and excitement from the reserves to add much-needed impact. Angus Ta’avao, Atu Moli, Josh Lord, Quinn Tupaea, Anton Lienert-Brown, Laghlan McWhannell and Alex Nankivell weren’t considered in the line-up due to injury.
McMillan says: “This is a game that the boys look forward to... We owe it to our loyal supporters to deliver a performance that they can be proud of and hope they arrive in droves to witness what should be a barn-stormer.”
The game kicks off at 7.05pm on Saturday, at Hamilton’s FMG Stadium Waikato.
Meanwhile, the Super Rugby Aupiki season has come to an end with Matatū being crowned champions after a nail-biting 33-31 win against Waitomo Chiefs Manawa.
The Waitomo Chiefs Manawa lost the Super Rugby Aupiki champion title against Matatu. Photo / Supplied
With just seconds left on the clock in the final game last Saturday, Matatū felt their chances of dethroning Chiefs Manawa slip away.
Holding a two-point lead in the final minute of the game in Hamilton, Matatū looked to have secured a turnover inside their own 22, only to have the play pulled up for a tackler not rolling away – almost directly in front of the sticks.
Matatū failed to win a game a season ago, and only won one of their three regular-season games during this campaign. But they stepped up when it mattered most, with 23 points from fullback Renee Holmes leading the side to their first title.
