Todd back to boost champions
Canterbury has reinstated Matt Todd following his latest nonplaying secondment to the All Blacks while a loose forward that enjoyed a breakthrough season at the Chiefs is welcomed home for Sunday’s clash with Tasman.
Alterations were understandably kept to a minimum in the aftermath of last weekend’s 40-point national provincial championship win over Auckland, and ominously for Tasman the titleholder’s pack has been enhanced.
Todd, a spectator as the All Blacks demolished the Wallabies 42-8 in Sydney, is back in action on the openside flank at AMI Stadium while fellow flanker Tom Sanders returns from a rib injury and short reconditioning stand down following his impressive contribution to the Chiefs campaign.
‘‘We’d love him [Todd] to wear a black jersey, but we love having him around, he’s great for the young guys,’’ said Canterbury coach Scott Robertson.
Billy Harmon, one of last weekend’s seven newcomers, drops to the bench to accommodate Todd while Sanders replaces Reed Prinsep – last year’s first choice blindside – who sits out the round two clash.
Sanders headed to Hamilton to make his Super Rugby debut after the 22-year-old’s opportunities were limited at the Crusaders and ultimately played 13 of the Chiefs 17 games, on the flank or at No 8.
‘‘He’s taken his opportunity up there. The game time he got and the confidence he got from starting …. he grew as the campaign went along,’’ said Robertson, who has made one change to his front row stocks.
Fijian tighthead Lee-Roy Atalifo comes onto the bench for another import, Irishman Oliver Jager, to make his provincial debut as Siate Tokolahi’s back-up.
The 28-year-old played two games for Fiji at last year’s World Cup and has six caps, the type of experience Robertson required after losing All Black Nepo Laulala at the end of last season.
‘‘Good tighthead’s are like hen’s teeth, most of the teams have a foreigner because they love our tightheads in Europe, they’re snapped up,’’ he said.
‘‘You look hard around club rugby and then we thought we just need experience with Oli [Jager] in his first year. We need some depth and experience, which Lee-Roy brings to us.’’
Meanwhile, Robertson, though rapt with the start of the championship defence against last year’s runners-up said there was no potential to take rival Crusaders franchise Tasman lightly.
‘‘We’ve got enough experience and leadership in the group that understands how much you need to do in your preparation to perform.
‘‘Nothing’s changed in that regard.’’
However, Robertson was delighted with the six debutants and the squad’s ability to grasp the new breakdown rules, that were problematic during the pre-season.
‘‘We integrated new players and made a couple of clear principles about how we were going to deal with the breakdown and it came good. I was really pleased there was a lot of precision around what we did and how we played.
‘‘It’s a good start,’’ he said, before downplaying its significance with: ‘‘That’s all it is.’’