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McKenzie returns for Chiefs as captain Retallick brings up century
By Online Editors
The Chiefs will be on the hunt for their first victory of the 2019 Super Rugby season this Saturday at GIO Stadium in Canberra. Head Coach Colin Cooper has named a strong starting fifteen to face the Brumbies which will be led by Chiefs Co-captain Brodie Retallick in his 100th Super Rugby match for the Gallagher Chiefs.
Kicking off at 7.45pm (AST) a near unchanged forward pack will take the field with the exception of Nepo Laulala who will move from the bench into the starting tighthead prop position for All Black Angus Ta’avao who is on leave.
In the backline All Black Damian McKenzie will return from injury to start combining with fellow All Black teammate Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi at halfback for the first time this season. Winger Ataata Moeakiola will take his position on the right wing with Bailyn Sullivan named as cover on the bench.
Joining Sullivan on the bench will be front rower Sosefo Kautai, loose forward Mitch Karpik, halfback cover Jonathan Taumateine and midfield cover Orbyn Leger.
Cooper said this weekend is an opportunity for the side to step up and embrace their learnings from last weekend.
“We have a young team and last week they learnt a lot, this weekend we need them to take on board those learnings and as a team deliver on them.
Cooper finished acknowledging the side will be wanting to deliver a positive performance in honour of their captain’s achievement.
“As a team we want this to be a memorable occasion for Brodie and we want to pull together a performance befitting this milestone on the field come Saturday night,” said Cooper.
CHIEFS
1. Aidan Ross, 2. Nathan Harris, 3. Nepo Laulala, 4. Brodie Retallick (C), 5. Michael Allardice, 6. Mitchell Brown, 7. Lachlan Boshier, 8. Tyler Ardron, 9. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Etene Nanai-Seturo, 12. Anton Lienert-Brown, 13. Tumua Manu, 14. Ataata Moeakiola, 15. Shaun Stevenson.
Reserves: 16. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 17. Tevita Mafileo, 18. Sosefo Kautai, 19. Taleni Seu, 20. Mitchell Karpik, 21. Jonathan Taumateine, 22. Orbyn Leger, 23. Bailyn Sullivan.
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Latest Comments
I'm very aware that GB is not UK.
Also that the British Isles are not the same as the British Islands.
I still think your objection to calling this a tour to the UK is stupid and pedantic.
I repeat what I send earlier, the Boks are not playing anywhere except in the UK.
It's legitimate therefore to call this a tour to the UK.
But this is boring now, goodnight, goodbye. And good luck with your crusade (that really doesn't have any bearing on what the article is discussing.)
Go to commentsHappy for Asher Opoku-Fordjour but why oh why is he the only new face, Borthwick didn't have to change 50% of the team but surely another 2 or 3 squad guys could have been given the chance to show what they could do? What can we possibly learn from this game other than we can beat Japan with a strong team.... hold the front page....!!
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