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Damian McKenzie to reach Chiefs milestone against Waratahs

(Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images)

Playmaker Damian McKenzie will play his 100th match in Chiefs colours on Friday night when they take on the NSW Waratahs at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium.

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Since making his debut for the Chiefs in 2015, McKenzie has scored more than 800 points for the decorated Hamilton-based franchise.

The 40-Test All Black will become the ninth player to reach 100 appearances for the Chiefs in Round Five, having been named to start at fullback.

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Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan congratulated McKenzie on achieving this milestone, saying he now sits “alongside some of the legends of our game.”

“Damian returned from his time away in Japan and has slotted back into the Gallagher Chiefs seamlessly,” McMillan said in a statement.

“He is an outstanding footballer who has an unbelievable skill-set, reads the game well, and is incredibly brave (on) both sides of the ball.

“Of the field he is an excellent contributor, loved by staff, his peers and our loyal fanbase.

“We all congratulate him on becoming the latest Gallagher Chief to play 100 games, and sit alongside some of the legends of our game who have achieved this significant milestone.”

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The Chiefs will be boosted by the return of co-captains Sam Cane and Brad Weber, who were both omitted from last weekends team to play the Rebels.

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All Blacks centurion Brodie Retallick has also been named for his return, and will pack down in the second row alongside Manaaki Selby-Rickit.

Internationals Aidan Ross and John Ryan will start in the front row for the Chiefs alongside Bradley Slater, who comes into the starting side for the first time.

Samipeni Finau and Pita Gus Sowakula have both retained their places in the starting XV, and will line-up alongside co-captain Sam Cane in the backrow.

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The inclusion of Weber and McKenzie are the only changes to the backline.

All Samisoni Taukei’aho will look to provide some impact off the bench again this week, while the high-flying Shaun Stevenson has been named in the No. 23 jumper.

The match kicks off at 9:35pm NZT on Friday.

Chiefs team to take on Waratahs

  1. Aidan Ross
  2. Bradley Slater
  3. John Ryan
  4. Brodie Retallick
  5. Manaaki Selby-Rickit
  6. Samipeni Finau
  7. Sam Cane (cc)
  8. Pita Gus Sowakula
  9. Brad Weber (cc)
  10. Bryn Gatland
  11. Etene Nanai-Seturo
  12. Rameka Poihipi
  13. Alex Nankivell
  14. Emoni Narawa
  15. Damian McKenzie

Replacements:

  1. Samisoni Taukei’aho
  2. Ollie Norris
  3. George Dyer
  4. Naitoa Ah Kuoi
  5. Kaylum Boshier
  6. Cortez Ratima
  7. Daniel Rona
  8. Shaun Stevenson

Players not considered: Angus Ta’avao, Atu Moli, Josh Lord, Quinn Tupaea, Anton Lienert-Brown, Tupou Vaa’i, Laghlan McWhannell

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J
JW 1 hour ago
How key Waratahs playmakers could reshape Joe Schmidt's Wallabies backline

Yeah like a classic comedy show, not too different to how he went at the same venue last year? Perhaps there’s something about that latitude that puts his equilibrium off?


The rush on Jo was fine though, you’d catch most players out with Dmacs ex3cution of it. There were actually quite a few instances like that, not too dissimilar to that Bledisloe game actually, were things just didn’t work out for no luck of trying to skill. I laughed when Dmac took himself out of that try and basically gifted it to them by trying to bowl over Kellaway was perhaps the most comical.


Actually now you say that, yes, very reminiscent of Aus v England wasn’t it. The two changes at halves have been instrumental for me. Not that the first two weren’t playing well, but these two seem to pair up better, with everyone. Like you say with those sorts of counter attack plays, they are on instinct and that stuff needs to be shared with everyone. That’s another thing too I was thinking, in that respect guys returning can be a hinderance to a team playing well, but I might have just thought that because I wasn’t sure (hadn’t seen much) which of NSWs midfields were best suited where.


I’m very similar in my TMO preference as well. I had actually said to myself several times already this season (SR here) that they are pretty bullish basically telling the ref what theyve seen as fact. If I remember rightly it even happened a few times in November and some of the refs then said “no, I’m actually happy with that.” etc. But very tough on Maybe (I think) who probably has plss poor vision on the big screen to say anything otherwise, so yes, definitely just make it an offer to look and also communicate ‘why’ precisely to the ref, and (just like he does to the players) he can even say to the TMO “no I was happy how I saw it live, I don’t need a replay thanks” etc. He started like that I think, “I’d like to review a simultaneous grounding” but then yes, he took over after. Of course in the refs minds, it’s the right call, thoughts how it’s always been ref’d, even when theres a good few frames in the slowmo that actually show ball obviously hitting grass first (which they didn’t in this game), they’ve always ruled that (like in cricket) if the ball continues to then be ground on the line after (or in the same frame in this example) they always gone ‘dead ball’. The new SR committee apparently what to making the line the attacking teams so they award the try’s instead of taking them away, but just like I said with them not wanting to look closely at the first forward pass (like they did for the Chiefs try), I don’t want random JRLO level decisions, and giving the line to the attacking team is just going to make clear no trys, a try instead. It’s exactly the same result.

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