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NZ Herald
6 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Super Rugby Pacific team lists: Crusaders, Chiefs, Blues and Hurricanes name qualifying finals squads
The midfield combination of captain David Havili and Braydon Ennor returns to round out the changes made to the starting XV. While the Crusaders sit comfortably in second place heading into the qualifying finals, their spot in the Super Rugby Pacific semifinals is not guaranteed. If they lose to the Reds on Friday and the Blues upset the Chiefs in Hamilton, the Crusaders' season will be over. Crusaders: 1. Tamaiti Williams, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Fletcher Newell, 4. Scott Barrett, 5. Antonio Shalfoon, 6. Ethan Blackadder, 7. Tom Christie, 8. Christian Lio-Willie, 9. Noah Hotham, 10. Rivez Reihana, 11. Sevu Reece, 12. David Havili (c), 13. Braydon Ennor, 14. Chay Fihaki, 15. Will Jordan. Bench: 16. George Bell, 17. George Bower, 18. Kershawl Sykes-Martin, 19. Tahlor Cahill, 20. Cullen Grace, 21. Kyle Preston, 22. James O'Connor, 23. Dallas McLeod. Unavailable: Taha Kemara (knee, season), Dom Gardner (foot, season), Finlay Brewis (shoulder, season). Chiefs team to face the Blues The Chiefs will be out for revenge as they host a Blues outfit that thumped them 41-10 in the Super Rugby Pacific final in Auckland last year. Since then, the sides have met twice this season, with the Chiefs coming up trumps on both occasions – although it was only by a one-point margin when the Blues visited Hamilton back in round 5. Coach Clayton McMillan has made nine changes to his starting XV that bested the last-placed Highlanders 41-24 last week, opting for a more experienced lineup. A new-look front row sees Aidan Ross, Samisoni Taukei'aho and George Dyer slot into the starting side. Naitoa Ah Kuoi replaces Josh Lord and joins Tupou Vaa'i in the locking department. All Black Wallace Sititi has been shifted to the bench and replaced by Simon Parker in the No 8 jersey. Samipeni Finau and captain Luke Jacobson round out the loose forwards. In the backline, Cortez Ratima will start at halfback over Xavier Roe. Quinn Tupaea has been ruled out after suffering a head injury last week and is replaced by Gideon Wrampling. Emoni Narawa has returned from injury and will start on the wing alongside Leroy Carter. The Chiefs have already booked their spot in the competition's semifinals next week regardless of the result, but a win on Saturday night would go a long way in securing home advantage throughout the playoffs. Chiefs: 1. Aidan Ross, 2. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 3. George Dyer, 4. Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 5. Tupou Vaa'i, 6. Samipeni Finau, 7. Luke Jacobson (c), 8. Simon Parker, 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Leroy Carter, 12. Gideon Wrampling, 13. Daniel Rona, 14. Emoni Narawa, 15. Shaun Stevenson. Bench: 16. Brodie McAlister, 17. Ollie Norris, 18. Reuben O'Neill, 19. Josh Lord, 20. Wallace Sititi, 21. Xavier Roe, 22. Josh Jacomb, 23. Etene Nanai-Seturo. Unavailable: Quinn Tupaea (head/eye), Anton Lienert-Brown (collarbone), Liam Coombes-Fabling (hamstring), Fiti Sa (shoulder), Manaaki Selby-Rickit (toe), Rameka Poihipi (knee, season), Kaleb Trask (ankle), Malachi Wrampling (hamstring), Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (shoulder), Sione Ahio (ankle). Blues team to face the Chiefs Coach Vern Cotter has made just one change to his Blues side, tasked with taking the trip down State Highway 1 to knock over a high-flying Chiefs outfit if they wish to defend the Super Rugby Pacific title. The side snuck into the top six of the ladder after a comprehensive 46-6 win over the Waratahs at Eden Park at the weekend, but will have their work cut out for them on Saturday night. The sole change sees Adrian Choat replace Anton Segner at blindside flanker, with Segner being shifted to the bench. The equation for the underdog Blues is quite simple – win and they earn another week. Blues: 1. Joshua Fusitu'a, 2. Ricky Riccitelli, 3. Marcel Renata, 4. Patrick Tuipulotu, 5. Laghlan McWhannell, 6. Adrian Choat, 7. Dalton Papali'i, 8. Hoskins Sotutu, 9. Finlay Christie, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. A.J. Lam, 13. Rieko Ioane, 14. Mark Tele'a, 15. Corey Evans. Bench: 16. Kurt Eklund, 17. Jordan Lay, 18. Angus Ta'avao, 19. Josh Beehre, 20. Anton Segner, 21. Sam Nock, 22. Harry Plummer, 23. Cole Forbes. Unavailable: Cam Christie (thumb), Stephen Perofeta (leg), Reon Paul (shoulder), Cam Suafoa (medical, season), Ofa Tu'ungafasi (neck, season), Sam Darry (shoulder, season). Hurricanes team to face the Brumbies Hurricanes coach Clark Laidlaw has made just one change to his starting XV that travels to take on the Brumbies in the final match of the round. The side put on a clinic in Wellington at the weekend, running in 10 tries to beat Moana Pasifika 64-12 and lock up fourth place on the Super Rugby ladder. Caleb Delany will replace Hugo Plummer at lock as the side heads to Canberra on Saturday. The backline remains the same, with Laidlaw opting to keep Brett Cameron at first five-eighths and Ruben Love at fullback. A raft of changes to the bench sees Tevita Mafileo and Callum Harkin come into the side, alongside Ngatungane Punivai – who has recovered from an ankle injury. If the Crusaders and Chiefs both win, the Hurricanes and Brumbies will be through to the semifinals before kickoff in Canberra. Hurricanes: 1. Xavier Numia, 2. Asafo Aumua (cc), 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Zach Gallagher, 5. Caleb Delany, 6. Devan Flanders, 7. Du'Plessis Kirifi (cc), 8. Peter Lakai, 9. Cam Roigard, 10. Brett Cameron, 11. Fatafehi Fineanganofo, 12. Peter Umaga-Jensen, 13. Billy Proctor (cc), 14. Bailyn Sullivan, 15. Ruben Love. Bench: 16. Raymond Tuputupu, 17. Tevita Mafileo, 18. Pasilio Tosi, 19. Hugo Plummer, 20. Brad Shields (cc), 21. Ereatara Enari, 22. Ngatungane Punivai, 23. Callum Harkin. Unavailable: Kini Naholo (knee, season), Riley Higgins (lower leg, season), Brayden Iose (lower leg, season), Siale Lauaki (ankle, season), Harry Godfrey (lower leg), Isaia Walker-Leawere (knee). For live commentary of Super Rugby Pacific matches featuring New Zealand teams, go to GOLD SPORT or iHeartRadio. Join the Alternative Commentary Collective on Hauraki or iHeartRadio.
CNA
08-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
DMac back as Chiefs and Crusaders battle it out for Super Rugby top spot
The Waikato Chiefs travel to Christchurch to take on the Canterbury Crusaders in a blockbuster clash on Saturday which will decide which of the teams tops the standings heading into the final couple of weeks of the Super Rugby Pacific season. For all the increased competitiveness of the Australian and Pacific islands teams this season, the New Zealand heavyweights look likely to keep the Super Rugby title on the western shores of the Tasman Sea for another year. The Chiefs, runners-up for the last two years, have set the pace since the start of the season but suffered a 35-17 reverse at the hands of the Wellington Hurricanes last week to remain ahead of the Crusaders only on points difference. The 12-times champion Crusaders, who had a bye in the last round, have enjoyed a marked resurgence after missing the playoffs in 2024 and a trip to Christchurch Stadium is once again one of the toughest assignments in rugby. All Blacks playmaker Damian McKenzie returns for the Chiefs after missing two rounds with a hand injury and Wallace Sititi, World Rugby's breakout player of 2024, gets his first start of the season at number eight. "The Crusaders are a class team, have a formidable record at home, and look back to their best," said Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan. "We're really looking forward to locking horns. We got taught a lesson last week and we haven't shied away from where our shortcomings were." All Blacks centre Braydon Ennor returns from a long injury layoff to strengthen the Crusaders' midfield while world-class outside back Sevu Reece is back on the left wing. The Crusaders were forced to select a new flyhalf after losing Taha Kemara for the season to a knee injury and have gone for the youth of Rivez Reihana over the experience of Australian James O'Connor, who will start on the bench. "The Chiefs will be disappointed in their performance over the weekend, and they'll come here and want to be brutal, they're proud men and they'll come here determined," warned coach Rob Penney. The ACT Brumbies, again Australia's standard bearers, will leapfrog the losing team from the Christchurch clash and move into second place if they can overcome the Western Force in Perth in Saturday's second match. The Force, who will celebrate their 20th anniversary at the game, stunned the Brumbies in Canberra in round two but have dropped out of the playoffs spots after going without a win in their last three games. "We've seen this year the Force are a much better team than last year," said the ever-cautious Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham. "They've got some really good players in key positions and they're putting it together on the field when it matters." The fourth-placed Queensland Reds could also make up ground on the leaders on Friday if they can become the first team to beat the ninth-placed New South Wales Waratahs at their Sydney home this season. The Hurricanes and Moana Pasifika, who occupy fifth and sixth place in the standings, have a bye in round 13, offering the reigning champions Auckland Blues a chance to move up from seventh and into the playoff spots. All Blacks playmaker Beauden Barrett will start at flyhalf when the Blues travel to face the Fijian Drua in sweltering heat, and potentially tropical rain, on Friday night in Suva.
Reuters
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
DMac back as Chiefs and Crusaders battle it out for Super Rugby top spot
May 8 (Reuters) - The Waikato Chiefs travel to Christchurch to take on the Canterbury Crusaders in a blockbuster clash on Saturday which will decide which of the teams tops the standings heading into the final couple of weeks of the Super Rugby Pacific season. For all the increased competitiveness of the Australian and Pacific islands teams this season, the New Zealand heavyweights look likely to keep the Super Rugby title on the western shores of the Tasman Sea for another year. The Chiefs, runners-up for the last two years, have set the pace since the start of the season but suffered a 35-17 reverse at the hands of the Wellington Hurricanes last week to remain ahead of the Crusaders only on points difference. The 12-times champion Crusaders, who had a bye in the last round, have enjoyed a marked resurgence after missing the playoffs in 2024 and a trip to Christchurch Stadium is once again one of the toughest assignments in rugby. All Blacks playmaker Damian McKenzie returns for the Chiefs after missing two rounds with a hand injury and Wallace Sititi, World Rugby's breakout player of 2024, gets his first start of the season at number eight. "The Crusaders are a class team, have a formidable record at home, and look back to their best," said Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan. "We're really looking forward to locking horns. We got taught a lesson last week and we haven't shied away from where our shortcomings were." All Blacks centre Braydon Ennor returns from a long injury layoff to strengthen the Crusaders' midfield while world-class outside back Sevu Reece is back on the left wing. The Crusaders were forced to select a new flyhalf after losing Taha Kemara for the season to a knee injury and have gone for the youth of Rivez Reihana over the experience of Australian James O'Connor, who will start on the bench. "The Chiefs will be disappointed in their performance over the weekend, and they'll come here and want to be brutal, they're proud men and they'll come here determined," warned coach Rob Penney. The ACT Brumbies, again Australia's standard bearers, will leapfrog the losing team from the Christchurch clash and move into second place if they can overcome the Western Force in Perth in Saturday's second match. The Force, who will celebrate their 20th anniversary at the game, stunned the Brumbies in Canberra in round two but have dropped out of the playoffs spots after going without a win in their last three games. "We've seen this year the Force are a much better team than last year," said the ever-cautious Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham. "They've got some really good players in key positions and they're putting it together on the field when it matters." The fourth-placed Queensland Reds could also make up ground on the leaders on Friday if they can become the first team to beat the ninth-placed New South Wales Waratahs at their Sydney home this season. The Hurricanes and Moana Pasifika, who occupy fifth and sixth place in the standings, have a bye in round 13, offering the reigning champions Auckland Blues a chance to move up from seventh and into the playoff spots. All Blacks playmaker Beauden Barrett will start at flyhalf when the Blues travel to face the Fijian Drua in sweltering heat, and potentially tropical rain, on Friday night in Suva.
