Injury-plagued Chiefs still rolling
The Chiefs continue to defy the odds as they chase a fifthstraight Super Rugby win when they host the Blues in Hamilton tonight.
Assistant coach Tabai Matson admits he has never seen so many season-ending injuries throughout his coaching career.
But he is happy with the way the team has responded, saying one thing coach Colin Cooper brings to the table is the need to keep calm and carry on.
An experienced leadership group with high expectations, coupled with young players stepping into the breach and doing the job, have “helped us squeak through”.
The Chiefs have made three changes to their starting 15 for tonight, all injury-related.
Brad Weber (wrist) and Taleni Seu (back) are out of the matchday squad, with Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi and Pita Gus Sowakula to wear the No 9 and No 8 jerseys.
“We have the utmost confidence in Triple T and Gus, so we’re excited to see what they will do,” Matson said.
“Tahuriorangi has got a critical part defensively, driving a game against a team who have got their backs against the wall.”
The Chiefs have also moved Liam Messam to the bench after he injured his finger in the 27-22 win over the Highlanders last Friday.
Lachlan Boshier will start instead as blindside flanker.
The Chiefs haven’t lost to the Blues in seven years, winning 12 and drawing one of the past 13 contests between the sides.
Matson, however, maintains there will be nothing but respect for their northern neighbours, who sit last in the New Zealand conference.
He said the Blues could well have won the match in Auckland in early March, which finished with the visitors 27-21 ahead.
“For us there is absolutely no complacency this week as we have had an unbelievable training,” Matson said.
“It’s driven by the fact that there is a beast coming down here who possess quality players.”
A settled Crusaders side will face the Jaguares in Buenos Aires tomorrow morning (NZT), with just two changes to the lineup that defeated the Lions last round.
Head coach Scott Robertson has made just one positional change to his starting forward pack for the game.
Luke Romano has been promoted to the starting team and will partner Sam Whitelock while, in the loose forwards, Tom Sanders moves from the bench to the starting side and will wear the No 6 jersey, with Heiden Bedwell-Curtis moving to No 8.
In the backs, Tim Bateman has been named at centre in place of Jack Goodhue, who has returned home to New Zealand with a hamstring injury.
On the right wing, Manasa Mataele earns the starting spot this week, off the back of strong performances in recent rounds.
After making his debut against the Bulls in Christchurch two weeks ago, 20-year-old wing/ centre Braydon Ennor could also run on to the park in Argentina, being named on the bench.
Star winger Henry Speight will miss the Brumbies’ match against the Queensland Reds tonight.
Speight was due to play his 100th game in the competition, but has been ruled out with a knee injury after failing a fitness test yesterday morning.
James Dargaville takes Speight’s spot at No 14 for the match at GIO Stadium as the Brumbies look to bounce back from a defeat to the Waratahs last week.
The Brumbies will ease cocaptain Sam Carter back from a serious concussion.
The star lock has missed three matches after a heavy knock on March 9 against the Rebels.
Carter’s recovery has been far slower than expected due to lingering concussion symptoms, frustrating the 16-test Wallaby as the Brumbies have recorded just one victory without him.
Coach Dan McKellar says Carter will come off the bench as the ACT team look to stay in touch with the top of the Australian conference.
The Reds smashed the Brumbies at the scrum during their last match on March 2 en route to an 18-10 victory.
“He’s (Carter) been out a while now and hasn’t really played since the last Reds game, only playing about 15 minutes against the Rebels,” McKellar said. “Having him ease back in with 25 or 30 minutes and with an experienced leader coming on at a critical point in the game is something we took into consideration.”
Highlanders midfielder Richard Buckman and lock Tom Franklin have each signed a twoyear deal with Japanese club the Kobe Steelers.
Both hope to be back with the Highlanders for one more Super Rugby campaign in 2019.
Former All Blacks coach Wayne Smith, the new Kobe general manager, has also signed All Blacks great Dan Carter.