Back in old spot
Normal service has resumed, then, with Damian McKenzie returned to first fiveeighth for the Chiefs’ Super Rugby match against the Sunwolves in Tokyo on Saturday.
Despite this being the year the star playmaker transforms himself from a fullback to a No 10, the season-opener against the Crusaders proved a false start, as injuries in the squad saw him utilised at the back in the next two games.
But that should be the end of that tinkering, with the 22-year-old this weekend back in the pivot role, with brother Marty McKenzie taking the fullback spot and Charlie Ngatai eyeing up a return against the Highlanders in the next round.
Tiaan Falcon did an admirable job in starting at first-five in the past two fixtures his first taste of Super level - but he has been left out of the 23, as a few changes get rung and bodies get managed in a game the Chiefs are expected to win comfortably.
Assistant coach Tabai Matson said it was a matter of getting McKenzie back into the No 10 jersey as early as was practical.
‘‘We’ve got a great opportunity to go up there and for him to control the ship again,’’ he said. ‘‘He was doing that from fullback. But you get to start there [at first-five], and I think that’s where we want to see him grow and develop.’’
There’ll be a new halves partner with McKenzie too, with Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi getting his first start for the franchise. It’s a move to reward some of the fringe crew, with one eye also on a tough upcoming schedule of three Kiwi derbies, with Liam Messam also out of the 23 this week.
In all, there are five changes to the starting XV which overcame the Bulls 41-28 in Hamilton last Friday night.
With Mitchell Brown out for the season after rupturing his ACL in that match, Michael Allardice has stayed on the bench and Tyler Ardron - more renowned as a loose forward - has been named at lock.
It will be the Canadian international’s first start for the team, and second outing, having returned early from a hand injury to come off the bench against the Blues earlier this month. Matson said they felt the combination of him starting and having a
specialist lock able to come in later in the piece would be beneficial.
After resting a thigh issue last weekend, Taleni Seu is back at No 8 in place of Messam, while on the bench Mitchell Karpik has been given his first opportunity of the season, in place of Luke Jacobson, after impressing in the Chiefs development team last weekend.
Toni Pulu has recovered from his thigh injury and will see his first action of the season, on the right wing, with Matson saying his return would be ‘‘inspirational’’.
That sees Sean Wainui drop to the bench, with a debut in the offing for Waikato outside back Bailyn Sullivan, preferred ahead of Declan O’Donnell. Matson said the 19-year-old - who showed some impressive signs in the Brisbane 10s - has been training at wing, with Wainui to cover the midfield.
The Chiefs travelled to Japan on Wednesday, though Matson has stayed behind to attend his brother’s wedding on Saturday.
He will watch on with the firm expectation of his team banking points. The Sunwolves - with former Chiefs Michael Leitch (blindside flanker) and Robbie Robinson (bench) in their lineup, ran the Chiefs close in losing 27-20 in their only previous meeting, in Hamilton last year, and are coming off a tight 40-38 loss to the Lions in Johannesburg. But they are still winless this season, and there are much tougher looking assignments to come.
‘‘For us, anything but four points is a real failure,’’ Matson said. ‘‘The senior players have really driven that. We need to go there and continue our performances. If we’re going to be genuine contenders, we’ve got to deliver consistently, and that is definitely the attitude they left with.’’