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Recap: Chiefs vs Blues | Super Rugby Aotearoa
By RugbyPass
Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Super Rugby Aotearoa clash between the Chiefs and Blues at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton.
Keep up to date with the latest score, stats and join the conversation from anywhere in the world in our Live Match Centre (click here).
All Blacks loose forwards Dalton Papalii and Akira Ioane return to the Blues starting line-up for Saturday’s clash as the only changes from the team that accounted for the Hurricanes 30-20 in the first-round match at Eden Park.
Papalii, who came off the bench last week, starts at No 7 while Ioane, with 68 Blues caps to his credit, comes in at No 6 replacing Blake Gibson and Tom Robinson respectively, who are both unavailable due to injury.
The Blues have the same front five but are bolstered with the return of North Harbour’s Sione Mafileo, one of the standouts earlier in the season, who will earn his 50th cap off the bench.
In-form number 8 Hoskins Sotutu, Papalii and Ioane will form a potent loose forward trio in what should be a pivotal battle at the breakdown.
The backline remains unchanged with Otere Black, who celebrated his blazer game for the Blues in the win over the Hurricanes, remains at first-five with Beauden Barrett again starting at fullback, to form an exciting back four with Rieko Ioane at centre and wings Caleb Clarke and Mark Telea.
As for the Chiefs, lock Naitoa Ah Kuoi will move from the bench into the starting XV in jersey No. 5 to combine with last week’s debutant Tupou Vaa’i in the only changes from the Chiefs forward pack that lost to the Highlanders 28-27 in Dunedin.
All Blacks halfback Brad Weber will again captain the side in the absence of Chiefs and All Blacks captain Sam Cane.
Weber will combine with experienced first five-eighth Aaron Cruden at No. 10 in the only change from last week’s starting backline, with Bay of Plenty’s Kaleb Trask providing cover on the bench.
The Chiefs reinforcements of prop Reuben O’Neill, loose forward veteran Adam Thomson, rookie Lisati Milo-Harris and electrifying back Solomon Alaimalo will complete an exciting twenty-three.
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Latest Comments
Agreed. Borthwick will have to write a new excuse book soon .
I have looked at the two world cup final teams from 2003 and 2020.
2003 team scored 187 tries between them in 389 caps
2020 team scored 113 tries between them in 473 caps. As you can see a huge disparity in scoring rate. Only Johnny May with 36 tries in 78 caps scored a higher amount of tries. Elliot Daly comes close but the rest are frankly very poor.
Farrell and Ford scored a pathetic 20 tries between them in a combined 210 caps.
There again , the 2003 team did have Wilko and Greenwood etc whereas 2020 team had Ford and Farrell .
So much people saying that Fords strength is of bringing others into the game .
Really. The figures totally disprove that notion .
It has been mentioned elsewhere that we have accepted mediocrity far too often and the figures would indicate that players are or have been picked far too often without performing .
Go to commentsNot disputing that NZ are ahead of Eng. Also not saying Eng are unlucky (though clearly the tone of the article is not that the ABs were unlucky but that they 'should have' won). Your team are looking great and are on the up. I just felt that Pundits have argued Eng 'should have' won the first test against the ABs, when it's more nuanced than that, and very fine margins determine results that Eng didn't get right. Same applies, therefore, to NZ and other nations. Ben Smith though doesn't seem to see it that way. To be clear: I'm not saying I agree with the 'should haves', but more that I take issue with the phrasing.
Good to see your respect for other nations is so strong! Proper rugby fan you are!!!
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