Chiefs 2026
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New Zealand Rugby has taken the first step to protect the Chiefs brand after NRL expansion team Papua New Guinea announced they had chosen the same name.
Eyebrows were raised in New Zealand, and particularly at the Chiefs in Hamilton, when the moniker for the new NRL team was chosen, especially as the black, red and yellow colours associated with PNG are already in use at the Super Rugby club.
While the PNG Chiefs logo and colours have not yet been released, New Zealand Rugby has sent a polite “please explain” to its rugby league counterpart across the ditch in search of more information.
“New Zealand Rugby is aware that there are examples of the Chiefs name used by teams in different sporting contexts internationally,” NZ Rugby said in a statement provided to The Post.
“Our focus is on protecting the Chiefs trademark in Australasia, where our rights date back to the team’s inception, when Super Rugby began in 1996.
“We can confirm we have corresponded with the Australia Rugby League Commission about their decision to name a new team the Chiefs and are working in good faith toward an outcome that works for all parties.”
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@Yeetyaah said in Chiefs 2026:
New Zealand Rugby has taken the first step to protect the Chiefs brand after NRL expansion team Papua New Guinea announced they had chosen the same name.
Eyebrows were raised in New Zealand, and particularly at the Chiefs in Hamilton, when the moniker for the new NRL team was chosen, especially as the black, red and yellow colours associated with PNG are already in use at the Super Rugby club.
While the PNG Chiefs logo and colours have not yet been released, New Zealand Rugby has sent a polite “please explain” to its rugby league counterpart across the ditch in search of more information.
“New Zealand Rugby is aware that there are examples of the Chiefs name used by teams in different sporting contexts internationally,” NZ Rugby said in a statement provided to The Post.
“Our focus is on protecting the Chiefs trademark in Australasia, where our rights date back to the team’s inception, when Super Rugby began in 1996.
“We can confirm we have corresponded with the Australia Rugby League Commission about their decision to name a new team the Chiefs and are working in good faith toward an outcome that works for all parties.”
Why bother, as long as the PNG team doesn't use that AI slop logo that has been circulating then who is really going to muddle up the teams?
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The worst kept secret.
Gallagher Chiefs Welcome Lalakai Foketi Home to Chiefs Country - Chiefs
The Gallagher Chiefs are proud to confirm the signing of lalakai foketi, marking a homecoming for the internationally capped wallaby. Having been born in Kirikiriroa, Foketi’s journey comes full circle […]
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By my count that now means only five squad places to fill:
LH prop (Benet Kumeroa, but he is playing TH now). Will Martin as a young LH.
Lock (Aisake Vakasioula)
Lock/loose forward (Jayden Sa)
Loose forward (let's poach Johnny Lee)
Midfield (Gibson Popoali'i)It's possible that Charlie Sinton replaces Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi as the third halfback. I'd select one less lock (five rather than six) and include another outside back. Isaac Hutchinson is returning from a major injury so extra cover would help. Tepaea Cook-Savage can play fullback and wing, and I suppose you can use a WTG player. AB rest to consider when choosing the WTG players.
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I see that Oli Mathis has said that one of the reasons he chose the Crusaders was that a number of his 1st XV friends are there.
It made me look at how many of the Chiefs NDC players have actually graduated to the full squad. Not a good return under McMillan's watch as the majority have gone elsewhere. You're welcome Highlanders!
Mason Tupaea - Blues
Oli Mathis, Aki Tuivailala - Crusaders
Josh Bartlett, Nikora Broughton, Veveni Lasaqa, Adam Lennox - HighlandersSome others have gone overseas (Australia, Japan). Fiti Sa is the only player at this stage who has moved up, but is yet to play. There may be a couple more soon.
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@gt12 said in Chiefs 2026:
Fact is that the Chiefs could have and should have signed him up far earlier.
Which is the point I am making. Mathis could have been signed last year when on a NDC, and a few others could have been in a similar situation in previous years. You need to show these young guys a clear pathway to a full contract.
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Sorry, I missed that was your point. I'm not sure that many from that list were worth really trying to keep, so I'm prepared to give the coaches some leeway on those others.
Broughton was a miss perhaps but we have plenty of loosies (could have allowed us to ship off Boshier a bit earlier).
Mathis though, is clear quality in a position we are not actually strong towards. Very strange he wasn't offered a protected position this year and should have had a full spot offered for 2026. That's on the Chiefs for letting him go to the Saders in the first place.
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@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2026:
@gt12 said in Chiefs 2026:
Fact is that the Chiefs could have and should have signed him up far earlier.
Which is the point I am making. Mathis could have been signed last year when on a NDC, and a few others could have been in a similar situation in previous years. You need to show these young guys a clear pathway to a full contract.
If you are a young loosie wanting to get gametime, why would you stick with the Chiefs. They are stacked. There is a much easier route for him at the Crusaders.
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@SouthernMann said in Chiefs 2026:
@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2026:
@gt12 said in Chiefs 2026:
Fact is that the Chiefs could have and should have signed him up far earlier.
Which is the point I am making. Mathis could have been signed last year when on a NDC, and a few others could have been in a similar situation in previous years. You need to show these young guys a clear pathway to a full contract.
If you are a young loosie wanting to get gametime, why would you stick with the Chiefs. They are stacked. There is a much easier route for him at the Crusaders.
That's a fair point, especially if Blackadder is off.
In terms of Super level 7s though, we aren't actually that strong - we have Jacobson likely as our first choice, given the 6/8 options, then Brown.
Sadly I expect us to still have Boshier, but had we moved faster on Mathis, we could have had him there in that spot in the full squad.
I like Brown, but he feels very important now, as Jacobson is likely to be injured for half of the year.
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@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2026:
As I have mentioned there is no need to replace M Wrampling with another 6/8. It could and should be a no.7.
100% on that. It seems strange that this spot wasn't offered to the best local young talent in years.
If he was offered a full spot and turned it down, something is wrong.
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Just curious, what are Chiefs fans thoughts on Boshier being in the ABs XV. Clearly viewed high enough by national selectors, yet Chiefs supporters sounding unbothered about his spot in the squad. From the outside I'm a bit surprised to see him up the pecking order yet now have an expectation for him to feature regularly for Chiefs
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