Chiefs lose Retallick
As if losing Damian McKenzie wasn’t bad enough, the Chiefs will be without two other All Blacks against the Lions in Hamilton tomorrow night.
Lock Brodie Retallick (arm) and hooker Nathan Harris (knee) were injured in the Chiefs’ narrow win against the Blues last weekend, and have not recovered in time to be considered for the round 10 match.
On the back of McKenzie’s seasonending knee injury, also suffered against the Blues, it’s a double blow for the resurgent Chiefs, who are also without electric outside back Solomon Alaimalo (hamstring).
Retallick, who returned after a two-week spell last week, was considered a decent chance to play after coach Colin Cooper on Monday said his injury sustained against the Blues was just a shoulder ‘‘stinger’’, while Harris’ knee was to be reassessed on Tuesday, the day after the All Blacks’ first ‘‘foundation day’’ in Wellington.
Assistant coach Tabai Matson yesterday confirmed neither injury was serious, but they were not prepared to risk them with a short turnaround, and with derbies against the Hurricanes and Highlanders looming the following fortnight.
‘‘Our team took a battering against the Blues,’’ Matson said. ‘‘Nathan got dinged up quite badly, so he is going to have a full turnaround again, then we go into the double derby, so it just made sense that he gets to rest the body a little bit this week.’’
Retallick’s injury wasn’t solely his shoulder. His wrist was also banged up and required a scan, Matson said.
‘‘Nothing serious. Nothing is broken or dislodged but it was still really painful and swollen. He’s a bit like Nathan with the short turnaround . . . he gets an Easter breather, as well.’’
Alaimalo, the frontrunner to start at fullback in place of McKenzie, pulled up at training this week with a tight hamstring and has been put on ice.
‘‘We’re probably being a little bit conservative,’’ Matson said.
In what will be his 65th appearance for the Chiefs, halfback Brad Weber will captain the side.
Jonathan Taumateine will backup Weber after the Chiefs opted to send All Black Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi back to club rugby after limited opportunities so far this season.
Tahuriorangi has only made one start and amassed 171 minutes in eight appearances this season.
Loosehead prop Atu Moli, who has not yet played this season due to an elbow injury, returns to the side for the first time this season, as does Bay of Plenty hooker Liam Polwart, who will start in place of Harris.
Australian Jack Debreczeni, who played for Northland in the Mitre 10 Cup last year, has been given the nod to start at fullback in the first game since McKenzie ruptured his ACL.
Matson said the former Rebels utility has ‘‘one of the biggest boots’’ in Super Rugby, and maintained the team would not make wholesale changes to their attacking systems in the absence of McKenzie.