Chiefs v Hurricanes

[Chris]

Great move putting DMac where he belongs at FB offset by his brother at First Five still trouble around the playmaking roles for the Chiefs

[canefan]

@Chris said in Chiefs v Hurricanes:

Great move putting DMac where he belongs at FB offset by his brother at First Five still trouble around the playmaking roles for the Chiefs

Damn, I was hoping they'd wait another week before making the change

[Donsteppa]

A better mix in the playmaker roles, but still a couple of curious choices on form. 0 - 5 looms.

[taniwharugby]

@Stargazer Solomon too...

[mariner4life]

@Donsteppa said in Chiefs v Hurricanes:

A better mix in the playmaker roles, but still a couple of curious choices on form. 0 - 5 looms.

that's a foregone conclusion i am afraid

[Chris]

@canefan Yeah will add to the attack with D Mac at FB it may break down around M McKenzie and Weber. to offset that positional change.

[Tim]

The Chiefs are going to get an absolute hiding from the Bulls next week.

[Tim]

Retallick is probably due for a shoulder injury too.

[Nepia]

@Tim said in Chiefs v Hurricanes:

Will Retallick look like he gives a shit this week? I wonder what deal he's signed overseas?

[mariner4life]

i hate this thread

[Tim]

@Nepia Either way, I really can't see them winning a game this season, outside of their home fixture against the Reds in May.

[taniwharugby]

@Tim assume you are talking a fake one so he can just rest easy for the RWC and not play for this rabble?

[mariner4life]

Blues fans dining out. Being irrelevant for 15 years has them salivating at the thought of a worse NZ team than the Blues.

[canefan]

@mariner4life said in Chiefs v Hurricanes:

Blues fans dining out. Being irrelevant for 15 years has them salivating at the thought of a worse NZ team than the Blues.

[Tim]

@mariner4life Which do you think will happen first, the Chiefs first win, or the first announcement that one of their senior players in joining another franchise?

[mariner4life]

@Tim said in Chiefs v Hurricanes:

@mariner4life Which do you think will happen first, the Chiefs first win, or the first announcement that one of their senior players in joining another franchise?

what round do we have the Blues?

[Donsteppa]

@mariner4life said in Chiefs v Hurricanes:

i hate this thread

It's still cricket season.

[Tim]

@mariner4life You go 0 and 8 on April 13.

ALB's likely to have exercised his out-clause before May 24 (Reds).

[Stargazer]

Hurricanes

1 Toby Smith
2 Dane Coles (c)
3 Ben May
4 James Blackwell
5 Vaea Fifita
6 Reed Prinsep
7 Du'Plessis Kirifi
8 Ardie Savea
9 TJ Perenara
10 Beauden Barrett
11 Wes Goosen
12 Ngani Laumape
13 Matt Proctor
14 Jordie Barrett
15 Chase Tiatia

Reserves
16 Asafo Aumua
17 Fraser Armstrong
18 Alex Fidow
19 Liam Mitchell
20 Heiden Bedwell-Curtis
21 Finlay Christie
22 Jackson Garden-Bachop
23 Salesi Rayasi

In-form midfielder Ngani Laumape will start his 50th match for the Hurricanes on Friday night in the round five Investec Super Rugby encounter against the Chiefs in Hamilton.

The back-to-back Hurricanes player of the year, who has played in 48 Super Rugby games as well as facing the British and Irish Lions, has been in fantastic early season form to lead the competition's try scorers with five.

He will again partner with Matt Proctor in the midfield in a backline that features just one change to that which faced the Highlanders last round.

Wes Goosen comes in on the left wing in place of Ben Lam who has been rested following a heavy early season work load.

Up front there are three changes in the pack with experienced props Toby Smith and Ben May named to start, the former making his first appearance in 2019.

The other change comes on the side of the scrum where Reed Prinsep is recalled with Vaea Fifita moving into lock.

The bench features two potential Hurricanes debutants with wing Salesi Rayasi and loose forward Hedien Bedwell-Curtis.

Hurricanes head coach John Plumtree was delighted about the prospect of two more players getting an opportunity.

Laumape to start 50th match for Hurricanes

[taniwharugby]

@Donsteppa the real rugby starts in August.