Chiefs make wholesale changes
Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan says there are ‘‘probably seven’’ spots up for grabs for his team’s Super Rugby Aotearoa final against the Crusaders in Christchurch next weekend.
That should at least ensure some sort of intensity from his makeshift lineup for tomorrow night’s dead rubber against the Blues in Auckland.
The Chiefs have 11 players putting their feet up, 12 injured, and 23 others who will trot out on Eden Park, including half a dozen set for Super Rugby debuts, in a team captained by Sean Wainui, from centre.
Wholesale changes were the order for a virtually meaningless final-round fixture, with just two players left from last weekend’s starting XV against the Hurricanes – No 8 Pita Gus Sowakula and first five-eighth Bryn Gatland.
Belying the inexperience in the side, the Chiefs’ most-capped player in history, Liam Messam, is in line for his 180th appearance, having been named on the bench following his call-up this week in a loose forwards injury crisis. There are further additions to the casualty ward, too, with a broken finger to midfielder Alex Nankivell, and lock Naitoa Ah Kuoi and utility back Chase Tiatia joining Luke Jacobson with concussion symptoms.
They join the rested contingent of Aidan Ross, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Angus Ta’avao, Tupou
Vaa’i, Mitchell Brown, Lachlan Boshier, Brad Weber, Anton Lienert-Brown, Etene NanaiSeturo, James Lowe and Damian McKenzie on the sidelines.
That has opened the door for maiden Super appearances for Counties Manukau’s Viliame Taulani (blindside flanker) and Bay of Plenty’s Zane Kapeli (openside flanker), with four others – Steelers prop Ezekiel Lindenmuth, Taranaki loose forward Tom Florence and the Waikato duo of firstfive Rivez Reihana and utility back Gideon Wrampling – set for a taste from the bench.
McMillan acknowledged that had the Blues bagged a bonus-point in their loss to the Crusaders last weekend it would have forced his hand more, so was fortunate he could go all out on the resting front this weekend.
‘‘There’s just some tired bodies, and I’d probably doubt our ability to run the same people out for two weeks in a row and get a positive result,’’ he said. ‘‘That’s not to say we won’t get a result this week by rolling out the team we have done, that’s certainly our intention.
‘‘It’s not just this week and next week, it’s another five or six weeks straight after that.’’
Indeed, the Chiefs will be playing five Kiwi derbies in five weekends, then with no break before the start of the transTasman competition, which sees the Chiefs make the long trek to Perth in round one, they will go 10 games, or 11 if they make the decider, straight.