Blues v Chiefs

[Chris]

@george33 said in Blues 2025:

Sullivan, Talea, Reiko, AJ, Clarke, Plummer, Funaki, Clark, Segner, Papalili, Pat, Mcwhannel, Renata, Riccitelli, Ofa.
This was team training 2 day for good part.Fusitua also played big part.
How Vern goes , not sure only Tuesday, but the players no .

Sotutu and Finlay Christie are they injured?

[george33]

@Chris Sotutu was there, he's carrying a niggle, actually hope young Che gets the 8 jersey.

[Duluth]

Blues v Chiefs opta match pdf.

2025-rd1-blues-v-chiefs pdf

[Bovidae]

Before the teams are named this afternoon my guess for the Chiefs team is:

Aidan Ross
Bradley Slater
George Dyer
Tupou Vaa’i
Josh Lord
Samipeni Finau
Jahrome Brown
Luke Jacobson
Cortez Ratima
Damian McKenzie
Leroy Carter
Quinn Tupaea
Anton Lienert-Brown
Emoni Narawa
Etene Nanai-Seturo

Brodie McAlister
Ollie Norris/Jared Proffit
Reuben O’Neill
Naitoa Ah Kuoi
Simon Parker
Xavier Roe
Josh Jacomb
Daniel Rona

The hookers, other lock and halfback could be swapped around. I'd select Norris ahead of Profitt myself. The no.23 jersey could be any of three players (e.g., Poihipi, Wrampling) but Rona would give you better wing cover. I don't like moving Tupaea there.

[Duluth]

https://www.blues.rugby/blues-rugby-news/team-naming-v-chiefs-round-1https://www.blues.rugby/blues-rugby-news/team-naming-v-chiefs-round-1

1. Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 2. Ricky Riccitelli, 3. Marcel Renata, 4. Laghlan McWhannell, 5. Patrick Tuipulotu , 6. Anton Segner, 7. Dalton Papali’i, 8. Cameron Suafoa, 9. Taufa Funaki, 10. Harry Plummer, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. AJ Lam, 13. Rieko Ioane, 14. Mark Tele’a, 15. Beauden Barrett.

Reserves: 16. Nathaniel Pole, 17. Josh Fusitua, 18. Angus Ta’avao, 19. Che Clark, 20. Adrian Choat, 21. Fin Christie, 22. Corey Evans, 23. Cole Forbes.

---

Players not considered: Kurt Eklund (groin), James Mullan (concussion), Sam Darry (shoulder, season), PJ Sheck (shoulder), Hoskins Sotutu (knee), Zarn Sullivan (foot), Stephen Perofeta (calf), Ben Ake (shoulder).

[Bovidae]

Hmmm...

[gt12]

WTF? We've given up on this game already?

[Bovidae]

Boshier at 7. McMillan doesn't learn. Better to put him at no.8 in that trio.

[ARHS]

This is bizarre. Are they mothballing the guns for the upcoming rounds and letting this one pass, as blues so close to full strength? Was looking forward to seeing Jahrome Brown get a run.

[Kirwan]

Maybe they want to finish strong?

[ARHS]

@Kirwan will be a lot of pressure on Roe to control proceedings in first half if that is the case.

[Bovidae]

Media release:

https://chiefs.co.nz/news-item/new-faces-to-feature-in-gallagher-chiefs-season-opener/

With our Test players only rejoining us late in the pre-season, we’ve opted to bring the majority of them back via the bench. That rewards those who have worked relentlessly over the last few months, and allows us to inject some experience later into the game. It’s a long season and a particularly tough opening six weeks leading into our bye. We will need to be smart around how we manage our squad and our selections this week are a reflection of that”.

Boshier over Brown astounds me.

[Duluth]

Any opinions on Nathaniel Pole? I don't think he's played any NPC yet?

[gt12]

@Bovidae said in Blues v Chiefs:

Media release:

https://chiefs.co.nz/news-item/new-faces-to-feature-in-gallagher-chiefs-season-opener/

With our Test players only rejoining us late in the pre-season, we’ve opted to bring the majority of them back via the bench. That rewards those who have worked relentlessly over the last few months, and allows us to inject some experience later into the game. It’s a long season and a particularly tough opening six weeks leading into our bye. We will need to be smart around how we manage our squad and our selections this week are a reflection of that”.

Boshier over Brown astounds me.

That was 150 words to say 'we've given this one away'

[Daffy Jaffy]

@Duluth From what I saw of him at for blues u20 he is quite small but very mobile with a high work rate. Him and his brother both loved to run with the ball and they defended superbly. He did some good things around the field in the final preseason game were he played 2 qtrs after Mullens went off. Vaai and Lord will no doubt put his throw under a lot of pressure when he comes on. Expect Ricky to play allot of minutes.

[mariner4life]

absolutely love the two AB 10s starting at 15...

[Daffy Jaffy]

Referee: Damon Murphy

Assistant Referees: Reuben Keane & Ben O'Keeffe

TMO: Brett Cronan

[Yeetyaah]

Chiefs by 1000, hopefully the Eden Park "faithful" actually show up.

[KiwiMurph]

Hopefully Chiefs themselves show up unlike their last two visits to the Garden

[KiwiMurph]

@Duluth said in Blues v Chiefs:

Any opinions on Nathaniel Pole? I don't think he's played any NPC yet?

Was he injured during NPC? Otherwise it's frustrating if he didn't play considering Auckland gifted minutes to a journeyman no hoper like Apisai could have used him (woops forgot Apisai went to Wellington)