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Chiefs switch up tight five for Brumbies clash in Melbourne
By Ned Lester
The Chiefs got their Super Rugby Pacific 2024 campaign off to a dream start in round one, securing a hard fought win over the side thats stole the trophy from them last year.
The win over the Crusaders looked to have come at a cost though, with influential flyhallf Damian McKenzie taken from the field with an injury.
The team revealed this week though that the nature of the injury was confirmed to be bruising around the ribs and not anything serious that would keep the playmaker from taking the field.
McKenzie has thus been named in the 10 jersey for his team's Super Round clash with the Brumbies in Melbourne.
From a finals rematch in round one, the Chiefs now face their 2023 semi-final opponents in week two, a matchup where the chip is on the other shoulder.
The Waikato team will be without Quinn Tupaea once more for the contest, the midfielder suffered a concussion that has seen him sit out the travel to Australia. Tupaea will also miss the round three game against the Reds, a frustrating blow for the 24-year-old after a long ACL rehab.
Hooker Bradley Slater will celebrate his 50th Chiefs appearance in another starting role, with All Black Samisoni Taukei'aho set to come ff the bench.
“It’s very special for me to play 50 games for the Gallagher Chiefs. The club has offered me a lot and I am very grateful to be a part of this team,” Slater said.
With such a deep squad, head coach Clayton McMillan is wanting to use the beginning of the season to hand out opportunities to his squad.
Props Ollie Norris and George Dyer have moved into the starting unit this week after being employed as impact in round one, while lock Manaaki Selby-Rickit will make his season debut.
“Early on in the season we want to give our people legitimate opportunities to stake a claim for a jersey," he said.
"Those that we have brought into the starting lineup have had really positive moments throughout the preseason so are duly rewarded this week. That’s the beauty of our squad, there are a lot of very capable people who can step into positions when that opportunity presents itself.
"If you look at the balance of the squad though it is relatively unchanged with a lot of cohesion.
“We know what we are coming up against this weekend with the Brumbies who are one of the best teams in the competition. They have a clear understanding of where their strengths lie and really play to them so we just have to be good enough to impose our own strengths against them.”
Gallagher Chiefs team to face the Brumbies:
1. Ollie Norris
2. Bradley Slater
3. George Dyer
4. Manaaki Selby-Rickit
5. Tupou Vaa’i
6. Samipeni Finau
7. Kaylum Boshier
8. Luke Jacobson
9. Xavier Roe
10. Damian McKenzie
11. Etene Nanai-Seturo
12. Rameka Poihipi
13. Anton Lienert-Brown
14. Liam Coombes-Fabling
15. Shaun Stevenson
Reserves
16. Samisoni Taukei’aho
17. Jared Proffit
18. Reuben O’Neill
19. Naitoa Ah Kuoi
20. Simon Parker
21. Cortez Ratima
22. Josh Ioane
23. Daniel Rona
Unavailable for selection: Kaleb Trask, Emoni Narawa, Josh Lord, Gideon Wrampling, Quinn Tupaea.
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