Chiefs 2017

[Bovidae]

@Hooroo There is some crossover with players. Obviously the big guns like Sweeney are being saved for the 10s.

[Frye]

There is some overlap but there's also 12 subs on the bench.

[mikedogz]

Matiaha Martin played for Counties last year. With All Blacks on leave a few development players will be training with the chiefs.

[Unite]

Chiefs down 14 - 0 after 12 mins. Pretty much had no ball.

[Unite]

14-7 to the Bulls at end of quarter 1. Chiefs had a bit more ball and much better field position the last 5 odd minutes.

[Unite]

21-7, Bulls. 53 gone

[Crucial]

No match reports that I can find yet but here's a brief summary gleaned from TrumperTwitter

3 mins - Chiefs cough up an intercept try to Bulls. Converted (7-0)
10 mins - Bulls over again from a rolling maul. Converted 14-0
14 mins - Chiefs score try to Weber. Beaver converts 14-7
HALFTIME - 14-7
51 mins - another intercept to Bulls. This one chased down.
53 mins - but then they cross anyway. converted 21-7
70 mins - Tony Pulu over but called back for forward pass
80 mins - converted try on the buzzer to Bulls 28-7

[Bovidae]

Not the result the Chiefs would have been looking for, but not too surprising when looking at the strength of the team (missing the majority of the starters). The Bulls had already played some preseason games.

I'll be interested to read how some individuals went and how the teams adapted to the new tackle law. Looks like Hoffmann was the ref.

[KiwiMurph]

@Bovidae Hoffman is rubbish - anything could have happened in the game with him as ref. As has been said good to see Pollard back.

[Bovidae]

Some info about the game last night:

No injuries. Those two words were the music to Chiefs coach Dave Rennie's ears following his team's first Super Rugby pre-season hitout. A largely inexperienced Chiefs lineup went down 28-7 to a strong Bulls team at Ballymore in Brisbane on Thursday night, and while Rennie and his coaching team were already poring over the footage on Friday as they eye several areas of improvement and this weekend's inaugural Brisbane Global Tens, the fact no-one came off worse for wear was the major positive, particularly as the Chiefs have previously had their fair share of bad luck with casualties early in campaigns.

Brad Weber scored the Chiefs' only try of the game, and Stephen Donald added the extras, while the Bulls ran in four - one early from an intercept, a penalty try off the back of a rolling maul to make it 14-7 at halftime, then two in the second spell, including one on the siren.

Rennie said it was a strong test up front for his players and acknowledged they battled at lineout time, though was pleased with how the scrum held up, in a match which saw the return of four-test All Black prop Nepo Laulala and openside flanker Mitch Karpik, who were both invalided out of last season with knee injuries. The Chiefs named 26 players for the match, using all but Liam Messam and Sefo Kautai.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/89278785/chiefs-come-through-first-hitout-unscathed-now-ready-to-give-brisbane-global-tens-a-real-crack

[Unco]

In better news for the Chiefs than last weekend, Nathan Harris is aiming for an April return:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11800848

[Stargazer]

http://twitter.com/ChiefsRugby/status/831688445378457602

[Tim]

@Stargazer

Injury replacement players named

A big Chiefs welcome to three players who are joining us as injury replacements! Congratulations guys on this awesome opportunity.

While we are gutted to see players sidelined through injury, we are rapt to have you join the Gallagher Chiefs.

PROP: Aidan Ross, 21-years old, Bay of Plenty. Aidan joins us as a replacement player for Mitchell Graham.

HALFBACK: Jonathan Taumateine, 20-years old, Counties Manukau. Jonathan joins us as a replacement player for Brad Weber.

LOCK: Matiaha Martin, 24-years old, Counties Manukau. Matiaha joins us as lock cover.

[Bovidae]

I assume Ross is a LH prop? I can't say I watched many BOP games but he is a former NZ U20 rep.

I thought Tau Koloamatangi might have been considered for the same reason.

[Bovidae]

Here is the Chiefs Development squad. I would assume any replacements needed would come from this group.

Forwards:

Aidan Ross (Bay of Plenty)
Ayden Johnstone (Waikato)
Jordan Lay (Bay of Plenty)
Reuben O’Neill (Taranaki)
Kalolo Tuiloma (Counties Manukau)
Joshua Iosefa-Scott (Waikato)
Sekope Moli (Waikato)
Samisoni Taukeo'aho (Waikato)
Sabastian Siataga (Bay Of Plenty)
Donald Maka (Taranaki)
Leva Fifita (Waikato)
Matiaha Martin (Counties Manukau)
Fin Hoeata (Taranaki)
Sam Caird (Waikato)
Otenili Moala (Waikato)
Viliame Rarasea (Counties Manukau)
Luke Jacobson (Waikato)
Mitch Jacobson (Waikato)
Jahrome Brown (Waikato)
Foti Lokotui (Counties Manukau)
Ta Hosea (Waikato)
Matthew Vaai (Counties Manukau)

Backs:

Jonathan Taumateine (Counties Manukau)
Richard Judd (Bay of Plenty)
Logan Crowley (Taranaki)
Harrison Levien (Waikato)
Luteru Laulala (Counties Manukau)
Joe Reynolds (Counties Manukau)
Beaudein Waaka (Taranaki)
Matthew Lansdown (Waikato)
Orbyn Leger (Counties Manukau)
Lalakai Foketi (Bay of Plenty)
Sam Vaka (Counties Manukau)
Elijah Nicholas (Bay of Plenty)
Liam Steel (Bay of Plenty)
Latu Vaeno (Taranaki)
Josh Gordon (Waikato)
Sheldon Tovio (Waikato)
Sevu Reece (Waikato)
Regan Ware (Bay of Plenty)
Lolohea Loco (Counties Manukau)

Unavailable for selection: Leighton Price (Taranaki), Jacob Skeen (Waikato), Monty Ioane (Bay of Plenty), Iopu Iopu-Aso (Taranaki)

The 2017 University of Waikato Chiefs Taua Development Management Team is:

Coach: Leo Crowley
Coach: Andrew Douglas
Coach: Carl Hoeft
Manager: Gareth Duncan
Trainer: Brad Mayo
Physio: Paul Smiler
Analyst: Mark Ray
Programme Manager: Kent Currie

[Stargazer]

Thanks @Bovidae. Do you know whether there is a draw of development team fixtures somewhere?

[Bovidae]

@Stargazer Nope. I don't think they all play eachother anymore.

From the article:
The 2017 Development programme includes two games against the Blues Development team, the first taking place on Friday 3 March at FMG Stadium Waikato serving as curtain raiser to the Gallagher Chiefs vs Blues Investec Super Rugby match. The rematch takes place just two weeks later on Saturday 18 March at Pakuranga Rugby Football Club in Auckland.

[Kiwidom]

@Bovidae I would have thought that Nathaniel Apa, Jessie Parete, Tau Kolomatangi and Stephen Misa would have made this squad. Any idea if they are injured or moved on?

[ARHS]

There are other interesting omissions also: Isaac Te Aute, Zac Guildford, Ratuva Tavuyara, Jo Ravouvou, Dwayne Sweeney, Alex Nankivell, Sam Christie, Jordan Manihera, Sam Henwood, Berny Hall, Joe Tupe, Onosai Auvaa, Keepa Mewett, Brayden Mitchell, Gafatasi Sua and Solomona Sakalia etc. Most of these are older players, so I wonder if there is a 'development contract' requirement to be in this squad, focusing it on youth? I imagine that Sam Vaka and Mitch Jacobsen might be snapped up as injury cover by any franchise, and maybe Regan Ware. Same for the 4 noted as unavailable and the 4 mentioned by Kiwidom. If only two matches in early March for this squad maybe some players concentrating on University studies or similar.

Can anyone confirm how it works? Just seems odd to leave out a number of players used as injury cover. Presumably they are all available to any franchise if needed??

[Tim]

When will Joe Tupe be heading to the UK? He looks like the just the sort of ball carrying number 8 that does well over there.