PITA GUS SOWAKULA GETS NOD
TO START IN TONIGHT’S SUPER FINAL
Fijian-born Pita Gus Sowakula has forced his way into the Chiefs starting line-up in today’s Super Rugby Aotearoa final against Crusaders at the Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch. Sowakula put on a sterling performance for the Chiefs in last Saturday’s clash against Blues and has won the praise of head coach Clayton McMillan.
“Pita Gus is one of those guys who I thought was outstanding last week, so he really forced our hand,” McMillan told Super Rugby Aotearoa.
“We know that the locking combination has served us really well. “The decision, to be perfectly honest, was made a little bit easier because Naitoa’s [Ah Kuoi] been out with concussion the last couple of weeks, and he’s only just passed that on Tuesday. “So it was pretty straight forward,” he said of the choice to play Mitchell Brown at lock and to place So
wakula on the blindside flank. McMillan said that with a win over the Crusaders and a good performance in their first-round game in Christchurch, the Chiefs had given themselves a chance.
They were under no pressure because they had already exceeded many people’s expectations.
“The only thing that will let us down is if we don’t front and give the best and we go into our shell but the way that the boys have trained I doubt that is going to happen,” he said.
“We’re going to come out fizzing. They know that and they’ve referred
to as us scrappers and we’ll turn up as brawlers.”
The decision to leave Damian McKenzie at fullback rather than reprising his role from the earlier Crusaders game at first five-eighths was because both sides were playing slightly differently since that encounter.
“There’re pros and cons. He’s going to do a great job wherever we put him, he’s proved that,” McMillan said.
Bryn Gatland was preferred Kaleb Trask at first five-eighths.
“We’re anticipating down in Christchurch it’s a little bit more to in the winter months now, it’ll be dewy, it’ll be cold, potential for rain, so the tactical battle, I think, is going to be really important. So, having both Bryn and Damo there, I think, serves us well in that regard.”
McMillan said he was prepared for the Crusaders to kick more than they have earlier.
“We saw them sort of transition to that against the Blues (in their last game), and Damo’s by far and away the best man under the ball, really composed and brave, so there’s a little bit of that in the selection as well,” he said.