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Ex-Crusader debuts, All Black star returns for the Chiefs
By Ben Smith
All Black hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho will make his much-awaited return to rugby from the bench this weekend when the Chiefs host the Brumbies.
The 2022 breakout international star will play his first professional game since suffering an achilles injury against the Hurricanes in last year's semi-final.
Elsewhere in the team, ex-Crusader and ex-Force winger Manasa Mataele will make his club debut for the Chiefs starting on the wing.
Form winger Leroy Carter, who has taken Super Rugby Pacific by storm over the opening fortnight, has been put on a rest week.
All Blacks Cortez Ratima, Quinn Tupaea and Samipeni Finau return to the starting side after being eased into the season.
Tupaea returns to the No.12 jersey after coming off the bench in his 50th cap and grabbing a brace against the Crusaders.
The Chiefs have opted to keep Damian McKenzie at fullback after a strong 2-0 start with the All Black playmaker in the 15 jersey.
“We’re all really pleased for Samisoni. He’s worked hard to get back around the target date we had set and it’s exciting to have him available again,” head coach Clayton McMillan said.
“Manasa gets his chance after working hard through the pre-season and it’s a great opportunity for him to have his first run in front of our fans at FMG Stadium Waikato.
“It’s going to be a huge day for the club, with the Manawa playing before us and the Rugby and Rhythms Festival happening around it all.”
Chiefs team to play the Brumbies:
1. Aidan Ross
2. Brodie McAlister
3. George Dyer
4. Josh Lord
5. Tupou Vaa’i (c)
6. Samipeni Finau
7. Jahrome Brown
8. Simon Parker
9. Cortez Ratima
10. Josh Jacomb
11. Manasa Mataele (club debut)
12. Quinn Tupaea
13. Anton Lienert-Brown
14. Emoni Narawa
15. Damian McKenzie
Reserves
16. Samisoni Taukei’aho
17. Ollie Norris
18. Sione Ahio
19. Naitoa Ah Kuoi
20. Kaylum Boshier
21. Xavier Roe
22. Daniel Rona
23. Gideon Wrampling
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Latest Comments
I think you have gone in the wrong direction here Nick. I think you need to delve down into the rules etc around Moana Pacifica’s selection policies and then you need to understand that a lot of KIWI BORN rugby players have PI heritage. It appears ok for the 4 home nations to pillage NZ born players constantly without retribution but you want to question whether NZ BORN players should be eligible for NZ? Seems a real agenda in there.
Go back and look at the actual Aims and agenda for MP becoming a entity and you see lots of things enshrined in policy that you arnt mentioning here. EG there is an allowance for a percentage of MP to be NZ eligible. This was done so MP could actually become competitive. Lets be real. If it wasnt this way then MP would not be competitive.
There also seems to be some sort of claim ( mainly from the NH ) that NZ is “cashing in” on MP, which , quite frankly is a major error. Are you aware of how much MP costs NZR Financially?
39 NZ born rugby players played at the last world cup for Samoa or Tonga. PLUS plenty for Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales.
Taumoefolau is a BORN AND BRED NZer. However I very strongly doubt he will be an AB, but who do you believe he should be allowed to play for? Levi Aumua is ALSO a born and bred Kiwi.
Aumua was eligible to represent Samoa and Fiji for the Pacific Nations Cup in July that year but ended up playing for neither. He IS eligible for his nation of Birth too Nick
He is a Kiwi. Are you saying an NZ born, raised Kiwi cant play for NZ now?
Sorry Nick Kiwi born and bred actually qualify for NZ.
Go to commentsYeah, Richie certainly stepped up for the ABs in 2022 and 2023 and proved he could translate his skills into the test arena. You have to understand many fans checked out at that point though, only to tune back in for a directionless WC final.
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