Chiefs 2020
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@Stargazer Totally. After his health scare it's crazy good to see him back playing professionally. He's pretty ripe but good for mentoring. Just weird to see him in the Chiefs as he was Landers hard for his career. Definitely not complaining.
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Chiefs' media release:
ADAM THOMSON JOINS REPLACEMENT PLAYERS
Current Otago number eight and former All Black Adam Thomson has joined the Gallagher Chiefs squad as one of eight replacement players currently in with the squad. The bulk of the replacement players on hand are providing cover for the Gallagher Chiefs forward pack. Bay of Plenty prop Ross Geldenhuys is joined by Waikato props Robb Cobb and Ollie Norris, along with Counties Manukau hooker Donald Maka, to cover the front row. Taranaki lock Tupou Vaa’i completes the tight five cover. Thomson is joined by Waikato loose forward James Thompson. Bay of Plenty halfback Leroy Carter is the only back who concludes the eight players fielded. Thomson said: “I am really excited to work under Gats and I am also excited to be in a team like the Gallagher Chiefs. It’s a team I’ve always looked up to, especially playing against them. The flare that they bring and the excitement. They seem like they have a lot of fun out there which is always a team you want to be involved with. If I get an opportunity to play for the team it’ll be immense.”.
So what is the status of a "replacement player"? Is that what they used to call "wider training group" players? So not on a full contract?
Edited to add this quote, which says that he's only there as ABs/preseason cover.
A Chiefs spokesperson told Stuff he was only signed on as All Blacks cover until early February at this stage, but said it was "highly likely" he would play in Friday's pre-season match against the Blues in Waihi. The Chiefs' All Blacks returned to training this week but none of them will play in Waihi. Their Super Rugby campaign starts against the Blues at Eden Park on January 31. -
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@jegga said in Chiefs 2020:
@Yeetyaah said in Chiefs 2020:
It seems like Adam Thomson is training with the Chiefs.
One tough bugger . Good addition to a team .
I wonder how many 2011 World Cup winners are playing Super Rugby this season (Assuming the he could get a gig)
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@Hooroo said in Chiefs 2020:
@jegga said in Chiefs 2020:
@Yeetyaah said in Chiefs 2020:
It seems like Adam Thomson is training with the Chiefs.
One tough bugger . Good addition to a team .
I wonder how many 2011 World Cup winners are playing Super Rugby this season (Assuming the he could get a gig)
Cruden is another.
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@Nepia said in Chiefs 2020:
@Hooroo said in Chiefs 2020:
@jegga said in Chiefs 2020:
@Yeetyaah said in Chiefs 2020:
It seems like Adam Thomson is training with the Chiefs.
One tough bugger . Good addition to a team .
I wonder how many 2011 World Cup winners are playing Super Rugby this season (Assuming the he could get a gig)
Cruden is another.
Huzah! Of course.
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https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=12300339
The news does not sound so immediately positive for rookie test loosie Luke Jacobson, who was forced home from Japan before a game was played because of lingering concussion issues. Gatland revealed Jacobson had yet to get a full medical clearance.
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Not all bad news regarding Luke
*Gatland said the Chiefs had been managing Jacobson's return.
"He's been settling back into a lot of conditioning work and started to do some contact work," he said.
"The aim for Luke is to come in for round three once he's got up to speed with all the fitness and contact work, when he feels comfortable.
"The most important thing is to get a full clearance from the medics. He looks sharp and is pretty excited, and looking really good."
Gatland told Foster the All Blacks have an open invitation to attend trainings and speak to the players. He sees promoting players into the test squad as an essential part of his job.
The Chiefs are sleeping in tents and sleeping bags this week, in preparation for Friday's pre-season game against the Blues in Waihi.
All Blacks will not be available but Gatland hopes some will line up in the Super Rugby opener at Eden Park on January 31.
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@Tim oh no, who will throw to the opposition lineout?
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@mariner4life Yeah, I'm hoping to see Taukei'aho start this year. Could be an AB bolter.
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@mariner4life talking shit about a bay player? Never thought I'd see it.
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As expected:
CANE TO CAPTAIN GALLAGHER CHIEFS IN 2020
Gallagher Chiefs Head Coach Warren Gatland has announced today loose forward Sam Cane will captain the Gallagher Chiefs for the upcoming Investec Super Rugby season. Gatland said Cane is a respected member of the Gallagher Chiefs squad and is a notable leader. “Sam has co-captained the Gallagher Chiefs since 2016. He is an experienced campaigner who is well respected by the players and management. We believe it was important to identify one person this season to lead the team and that individual would be supported by the team’s leadership group.” Cane has been a formidable member of the Gallagher Chiefs since his debut in 2012 and played his role in the Gallagher Chiefs 2012 and 2013 Investec Super Rugby title wins. Cane has co-captained alongside Charlie Ngatai, Aaron Cruden and Brodie Retallick for the past four seasons. Having played 111 games for the Gallagher Chiefs and 68 games for the All Blacks, Cane has been a proven leader both on and off the field. He continues to lead from the front with his strong work ethic and knowledge of the game. (...) -
Gallagher Chiefs Head Coach Warren Gatland has named a 35-man squad to take part in the pre-season match against the Blues. The starting fifteen features the return of All Black Damian McKenzie, and several rookies including talented Bay of Plenty first five Kaleb Trask, Waikato’s Quinn Tupaea and Ta$man prop Ryan Coxon. It is expected the sold-out crowd will be in for an entertaining tussle between the two sides across four 20-minute quarters.
- Ryan Coxon
- Samisoni Taukei’aho
- Reuben O'Neill
- Laghlan McWhannell
- Tyler Ardron
- Mitchell Brown
- Mitchell Karpik
- Pita Gus Sowakula
- Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
- Kaleb Trask
- Shaun Stevenson
- Tumua Manu
- Quinn Tupaea
- Sean Wainui
- Damian McKenzie
Reserves:
16. Bradley Slater
17. Ollie Norris
18. Ross Geldenhuys
19. Naitoa Ah Kuoi
20. Lachlan Boshier
21. Lisati Milo-Harris
22. Orbyn Ledger
23. Solomon Alaimalo
24. Tiaan Falcon
25. Leroy Carter
26. James Thompson
27. Tupou Vaa'i
28. Aidan Ross
29. Simon Parker
30. Josh Lord
31. Donald Maka
32. Bailyn Sullivan
33. Dylan Nel
34. Robb Cobb
35. Alex Nankivell -
The Chiefs team that started the game was quite different to what was originally listed.
Slater was at hooker.
Ross was at LH prop. I don't think Coxon played at all.
Vaa'i was at lock, and Brown went to the bench. Ardron moved to no.8 and Sowakula to 6 but they might have alternated a bit.
Falcon started at 1st 5, Nankivell at 2nd 5 in place of Manu, Stevenson moved to fullback and Alaimalo to the left wing.
DMac came on at HT.The wind was strong and it was behind the Blues in the 1st half. The Chiefs dominated the opening 10 mins but couldn't score when camped on the Blues' line. The first 2 Blues tries were from stupid mistakes from the Chiefs. Stevenson had a brain fart and chose to run the ball 5 m from his own goal line when he had plenty of time to kick it out. He was penalised for holding on and the Blues scored from the resulting lineout. For the 2nd try a poor 5 m scrum by the Chiefs was compounded by Ardron and then TTT throwing passes under pressure so that Tupaea gets a hospital pass on his goal line, resulting in a turnover.
The Blues might be the happier of the two teams but their starting XV was closer to what should play in Rd 1 than the Chiefs. Falcon made a couple of nice linebreaks but his kicking was really poor. The opening kickoff didn't go 10 m and the others were inaccurate. Trask put a kickoff out on the full and both 1st 5s missed touch from penalties. TTT still looked tentative and his clearance wasn't great at times.
In summary, it was a typical pre-season game where mistakes were made. I didn't see any major injuries except for Falcon's hand or fingers being looked at, but he continued.
That sucks for Luke.
