Hurricanes vs Chiefs
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Huge match coming up this week at the Cake Tin. First game I'll be attending this year, hopefully we get a good evening.
Apart from the obvious injury to Cam Roigard, the Canes seem to have a fairly healthy squad to choose from. The only real selection headache for the coaches is whether to have the more experienced Richard Judd on the bench to cover TJ, or to have the exciting whippet that is Jordi Vijoen coming on and providing x-factor for the last 20 mins. I'd personally go with Vijoen because I love his passing game and he could be a difference maker in big games. I think Richard Judd is way past his best.
My Canes side for this W.E would be.
- Xavier Numia
- Asafo Aumua
- Tyrel Lomax
- Caleb Delany
- Isaia Walker-Leawere
- Brad Shields
- Peter Lakai
- Brayden Iose
- TJ Perenara
- Brett Cameron
- Kini Naholo
- Jordie Barrett
- Billy Proctor
- Josh Moorby
- Ruben Love
- James O'Reilly
- Pouri Rakete-Stones
- Pasilio Tosi
- Justin Sangster
- Du Plessis Kirifi
- Jordi Vijoen
- Riley Higgins
- Bailyn Sullivan (if fit)
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@Machpants not the end of the world because he's solid but he won't set the game alight. Might be a bit of an issue if Judd and Cameron are together for long periods. Both are too structured and steady if you like.
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There will be a few 50/50 calls in the Chiefs team, although it will largely be predictable. I am thinking something like this:
1 Aidan Ross
2 Samisoni Taukei’aho
3 George Dyer/Reuben O’Neill
4 Manaaki Selby-Rickit
5 Tupou Vaa’i
6 Samipeni Finau
7 Kaylum Boshier
8 Luke Jacobson
9 Xavier Roe/Cortez Ratima
10 Damian McKenzie
11 Etene Nanai-Seturo
12 Quinn Tupaea/Rameka Poihipi
13 Anton Lienert-Brown
14 Emoni Narawa
15 Shaun StevensonReserves
16 Bradley Slater
17 Ollie Norris
18 Reuben O’Neill/George Dyer
19 Naitoa Ah Kuoi
20 Simon Parker/Wallace Sititi
21 Cortez Ratima/Xavier Roe
22 Josh Ioane
23 Daniel Rona/Rameka PoihipiLord and Thompson being injured.
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Definitely plenty of key match-ups across the park with AB spots on the line. The most notable for me being:
Asafo Aumua vs Samisoni Taukei'aho
Brayden Iose vs Luke Jacobson
TJ Perenara vs Xavier Roe/ Cortez Ratima
Billy Proctor vs Anton Leinert-Brown
Ruben Love vs Shaun Stevenson -
I just don't think the Chiefs forwards are good enough to take this.
Every team NZ team in the comp has tried to bully the Hurricanes pack with no success, the cane's pack appear to be in one of those fortunate states where the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts. They impressed me and put on a masterclass against the Highlanders.
So I think it'll take a DMac special and some Chiefs magic to get them over the line here.
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@Windows97 said in Hurricanes vs Chiefs:
where the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts.
The forward parts are very good. It was just a poor head forward coach who buggered it all up last year. Gibbes was hopeless but seems to have been replaced with someone who isn't a clown
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Perenara has been very good this year. I just hope he can keep it up. Also, that they select Vijoen at 21. Perenara can have a rest the following week with Judd starting. I would have Godfrey at 23. Time to start giving him more game time. Sullivan if fit can get a run the following week
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@Winger the Hunters are playing in the curtain raiser so whoever isn’t in the top 23 will be playing in that. I expect Godfrey will play for the Hunters but I hope you’re right and he’s selected in the main side.
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@Bovidae said in Hurricanes vs Chiefs:
There will be a few 50/50 calls in the Chiefs team, although it will largely be predictable. I am thinking something like this:
1 Aidan Ross
2 Samisoni Taukei’aho
3 George Dyer/Reuben O’Neill
4 Manaaki Selby-Rickit
5 Tupou Vaa’i
6 Samipeni Finau
7 Kaylum Boshier
8 Luke Jacobson
9 Xavier Roe/Cortez Ratima
10 Damian McKenzie
11 Etene Nanai-Seturo
12 Quinn Tupaea/Rameka Poihipi
13 Anton Lienert-Brown
14 Emoni Narawa
15 Shaun StevensonReserves
16 Bradley Slater
17 Ollie Norris
18 Reuben O’Neill/George Dyer
19 Naitoa Ah Kuoi
20 Simon Parker/Wallace Sititi
21 Cortez Ratima/Xavier Roe
22 Josh Ioane
23 Daniel Rona/Rameka PoihipiLord and Thompson being injured.
That should be there or thereabouts.
For me Poihipi is better starter, as shifts ball wide better. Which would make bench midfielder between Tupaea and Rona.
I'd start Ratima, but wouldn't mind seeing TTT on bench.
Front row trickiest. The Taranaki front row works very well as a unit and delivers real mobility and fast cleanouts. Not knowledgeable about Proffit's scrummaging, though, which is relevant given Canes THs. In which case add Ross for starting trio. Then Dyer, Sami and Norris/Ross to provide impact. -
Unfortunately the Cheifs loose forward trio is a bit of a mess. You have Finau who deserves his spot at 6 and Jacobsen as captian so you can't leave him out.
This means you then can't play Sititi at 8 as that would mean plying Jacobsen at 7 - which is an even worse option than Boshier.
Basically we lask a really good openside flanker.
So were stuck with the somewhat underwhelming combination of Finau, Jacobsen and Boshier it appears.
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Hurricanes SRP Round Eight team to play the Chiefs at Sky Stadium in Wellington. Kick-off: 7.05pm.
Xavier Numia
Asafo Aumua
Tyrel Lomax
Caleb Delany
Isaia Walker-Leawere
Brad Shields (Captain)
Peter Lakai
Brayden Iose
TJ Perenara
Brett Cameron
Kini Naholo
Jordie Barrett
Billy Proctor
Josh Moorby
Ruben Love
REPLACEMENTS:
James O’Reilly
Pouri Rakete-Stones
Pasilio Tosi
Justin Sangster
Du’Plessis Kirifi
Devan Flanders
Richard Judd
Peter Umaga-Jensen -
https://www.chiefs.co.nz/news-item/vaai-reaches-half-century-for-gallagher-chiefs
Unavailable for selection: Kaleb Trask, Tom Florence, Josh Lord.
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