Chiefs won’t rest on laurels
All Blacks rest weeks are one thing, but Chiefs coach Warren Gatland’s plan for his squad extends much further than that.
New Zealand Rugby’s contentious protocols mean their national representatives must sit out two matches during the Super Rugby regular season, but it’s not just his internationals who Gatland is managing the minutes of early in his first campaign.
Soon after watching his side, minus the influential trio of captain Sam Cane, Anton LienertBrown and Aaron Cruden, notch a 43-17 bonus-point win over the Sunwolves in Tokyo on Saturday to continue their unbeaten start to the season, Gatland revealed another well-performing trio would be left out of this Saturday’s clash against the Brumbies in Hamilton.
Having already confirmed midweek that All Black Brad Weber – fill-in captain in Japan – would sit out round four, Gatland said wing Solomon Alaimalo and flanker Lachlan Boshier were likely going to join him, as his opening-month master plan comes to fruition.
‘‘Even though the All Blacks get weeks off, we’ll try and do the same with some of our other players who have had pretty heavy loads as well, getting them out of the environment and getting them a break,’’ Gatland said.
Alaimalo has been in good touch on the left wing, starting each of the first three games and bagging a try in each, and on Saturday he was replaced after 43 minutes due to an ankle strain.
Boshier, meanwhile, has been one of the form players of the competition, moving from blindside to openside in Tokyo, scoring a runaway try and notching another three turnovers to make it a stunning 12 for the campaign already.
‘‘We’ve been really really pleased with their form to date and they’ve been heavily involved in game-time in preseason and in the first few games. [We] feel like they deserve a break and [for us to] give someone else an opportunity as well,’’ Gatland said of that duo.
Weber’s absence will mean a Super Rugby debut for Lisati Milo-Harris, while Taranaki team-mate Kini Naholo could be in line for a first match at this level in Alaimalo’s absence, otherwise Sam McNicol is still to see game time.
Warren Gatland, Chiefs coach
Boshier’s rest will be offset by Cane’s return, while fellow All Black Luke Jacobson is set to suit up for the first time this season, after a tight hamstring set him back a couple of weeks in his return from the concussion which ruled him out of the World Cup.
‘‘We’re trying to rotate the squad, so it’s trying to keep everyone fresh and motivated to want to do well,’’ Gatland said.
Following two key Kiwi derby wins to start, the Chiefs needed to stay switched on for a clash against a Sunwolves side they were expected to beat well.
Again, they found themselves behind on the scoreboard early, but with a solid set phase and plenty of penetration out wide, they duly did it comfortably.
Gatland felt the performance was ‘‘a little bit mixed’’, but considering some new faces, some fatigue from travel, an earlier than usual kickoff and a home team coming off a win and a bye, he was happy enough.
‘‘There was some really good stuff that we looked sharp at, and a few things that we need to be more consistent on for the 80 minutes,’’ he said. ‘‘But given the number of changes we made, to come away with the bonus point in the end was pretty pleasing.’’
‘‘We’re trying to rotate the squad, so it’s trying to keep everyone fresh and motivated to want to do well.’’