Chiefs v Blues

1 Jordan Lay
2 Ricky Riccitelli
3 Nepo Laulala
4 Cameron Suafoa
5 Sam Darry
6 Anton Segner
7 Dalton Papalii (c)
8 Hoskins Sotutu
9 Finlay Christie
10 Beauden Barrett
11 Caleb Clarke
12 Harry Plummer
13 Rieko Ioane
14 AJ Lam
15 Stephen Perofeta

Reserves:
16 Kurt Eklund
17 Ofa Tuungafasi
18 James Lay
19 Patrick Tuipulotu
20 Tom Robinson
21 Sam Nock
22 Corey Evans
23 Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (Zarn Sullivan)

Players not considered: Adrian Choat (concussion), Alex Hodgman (shoulder, season), Akira Ioane (knee), Mark Telea (rest), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (hand), Bryce Heem (groin)

Players not considered because of injury: Angus Ta’avao (season), Atu Moli, Josh Lord, Quinn Tupaea, Anton Lienert-Brown, Laghlan McWhannell, Alex Nankivell.

A big test for Rona. I'm surprised that Solomon Alaimalo isn't on the bench, as he provides the same cover as LCF. The latter went to Sydney though.

@Duluth good to see some refresh in the forwards - PT, Darry and Segner in particular. Hopefully the tight 5 go well - going to be a tough ask.

Stoked for Plummer in 12, hope he goes well

all that said, I think Perofeta is a better option at 10 these days than BB. But I'm an internet dude on the couch, not a selector

@nzzp said in Chiefs v Blues:

all that said, I think Perofeta is a better option at 10 these days than BB. But I'm an internet dude on the couch, not a selector

Yup, nice little look at ex-headless chook DMac vs ex-tin arse/ball on string BB

@Machpants said in Chiefs v Blues:

@nzzp said in Chiefs v Blues:

all that said, I think Perofeta is a better option at 10 these days than BB. But I'm an internet dude on the couch, not a selector

Yup, nice little look at ex-headless chook DMac vs ex-tin arse/ball on string BB

Hmm. Contest of the sideways runners. One who may take the ball to the line and throw a great pass or alternatively a shit one to no one, versus a player that won't take it to the line, but will hand a hospital pass to a player standing still if he hasn't already attempted a kick pass to the winger.

With the predicted wet weather I expect the Chiefs will win due to superior tight 5 and 10.

No matter how well Perofeta plays at 10 or how poorly BB plays at 10 Leon is too soft to make a change. Predictable yet still annoying.

@KiwiMurph very clever

Surprised to see a non-squad member Coombes-Fabling named on the bench over other utility backs (Ioane, Punivai, Wrampling, Reihana, who are all 2023 squad members) Are these guys perennially injured or poor trainers?

@kiwi_expat Just because they aren't listed as injured doesn't mean they are all ready to play.

Ioane's father has just died, so I doubt rugby is his no.1 priority at the moment.

As I've said before, Wrampling is to return via club rugby which only starts this weekend for the Waikato competition. No idea about Reihana, who hasn't played at all, but he often plays for Melville so could be involved too.

@Bovidae said in Chiefs v Blues:

@kiwi_expat Just because they aren't listed as injured doesn't mean they are all ready to play.

Ioane's father has just died, so I doubt rugby is his no.1 priority at the moment.

As I've said before, Wrampling is to return via club rugby which only starts this weekend for the Waikato competition. No idea about Reihana, who hasn't played at all, but he often plays for Melville so could be involved too.

After signing Reihana they just haven’t given him a go. Seem to have written him off.

Will hopefully be a cracker. Supposed to piss down on Saturday. Can't shake the feeling that the Blues will win it by 3 or so.

@Yeetyaah said in Chiefs v Blues:

Will hopefully be a cracker. Supposed to piss down on Saturday. Can't shake the feeling that the Blues will win it by 3 or so.

Blues feel like the classic canes - some backline firepower, but a weak tight 5 that keeps costing games. No one puts tight forwards on promotional material, but they're everything in rugby.

Chiefs by a thowwwsand

@nzzp pulling no punches I see, Chiefs are the underdogs, Blues by a million

Chiefs will win this one. Blues have a horrible record in Hamilton don't they? Also, Beaudy is back at 10 so that pretty much seals it for the Chiefs.

@Yeetyaah said in Chiefs v Blues:

@nzzp pulling no punches I see, Chiefs are the underdogs, Blues by a million

Chiefs are favourites at TAB and for good reason. WE've got a light tight 5, a converted flanker at lock, and a beanpole beside him. Our starting prop is out for the season and we're playing an immobile aging scrummager beside a discarded hooker.

@nzzp The Chiefs are missing their starting TH prop too, as well as the top 3 midfielders.

The last time the Blues played in Hamilton they won convincingly, so the Blues must be favourites.

@Crucial said in Chiefs v Blues:

After signing Reihana they just haven’t given him a go. Seem to have written him off.

It would be good to know what the situation is with Reihana. He didn't play in the pre-season games, or for the Chiefs Dev team in their game against the Chiefs U20s. There has to be a reason for his continued absence.

@Bovidae said in Chiefs v Blues:

The last time the Blues played in Hamilton they won convincingly, so the Blues must be favourites.

I'm still dirty about the maul try that got overturned and a penalty awarded a couple of years ago. Cost us a place in the final. Still a ropey call given how mauls get reffed, but that's life. Still - like Lions 2, it wasn't just the penalty but the fact we then imploded afterwards that pisses me off even more.

I'm off to the Grumpy thread now

@Canes4life We've won 2 of the last 3 there and beat them 25-0 last year with Barrett having a blinder in both victories.