Chiefs okay with role of ugly sister as final looms

It hasn’t been pretty but with just two rounds left before the Super Rugby Aotearoa final, the Chiefs are in contention for the big dance.

After an 11-game losing streak, the Chiefs are now unbeaten in four matches. In those wins, they have won by an average of only three points and had to come from behind in three of them. But, they are now in pole position for a place in the final.

“I think character is probably the word for me,” Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan said yesterday of his team’s resurgence.

“We obviously had our backs against the wall really early in the competition. None of our wins have been comprehensive or pretty; we’ve just had to guts, scrap, fight for every inch. We’ve got better, our game has gotten better, but everyone else’s has as well. I’m stoked for the boys, because they’ve worked hard for this. But the job’s not done.”

The Chiefs will host the Hurricanes in Hamilton tomorrow night as they look to push on with that job in the penultimate round of the competition. While the Hurricanes sit at the foot of the ladder with just one win, the Chiefs won’t forget the threat they pose after they jumped out to a 26-7 lead in the first half of their last encounter, before the Chiefs ran them down in the second half.

McMillan noted the importance of the clash.

“That’s the critical one,” he said. “If we get that one done, I’m still not sure what the permutations are, but I guess it will go a long way to maybe sneaking us into the final.”

Damian McKenzie will return to fullback for the match, with Bryn Gatland starting at first five-eighth and Chase Tiatia returning to the bench. Pita Gus Sowakula starts at No 8 with Luke Jacobson ruled out due to concussion. Samipeni Finau comes on to the bench, while young midfielder Rameka Poihipi is in line for his Chiefs debut off the bench.

The Hurricanes come in fresh off the bye but are without star loose forward Ardie Savea who was injured against the Crusaders a fortnight ago.

Du’Plessis Kirifi moves into the starting side at No 7 and Devan Flanders shifts to No 8, while winger Julian Savea is out of the team in favour of Salesi Rayasi and Scott Scrafton moves into the starting side, relegating Isaia Walker-Leawere to the bench. The rest of the starting side is unchanged.