Highlanders v Chiefs (Sat 10/4/21)
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For a guy that turned up at the Highlanders as a dirty dirty and has never troubled the selectors for further honours Hammington sure ends up getting a lot of gamedays. You wonder what they would have done without him over the seasons. Has turned out to be a reliable fill in.
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@kiwiwomble said in Highlanders v Chiefs (Sat 10/4/21):
@crucial i lie hammington in the squad, as you say a reliable fill in, fakatava is exciting but i dont think hammington is going to loose a game for us
He's an interesting story. IIRC he contacted Dave Rennie and said he wanted to train at the Chiefs. Didn't want any support, contracts or promises, just wanted to see what that level was all about. Used to drive himself from Welly to training twice a week. He got his chance through some injuries and, I think, was never properly added to the roster.
Highlanders only really picked him up as a WTG (I think) but once again his dedication outweighed his 'journeyman' status and he ended up with game time. Has been a constant injury fill in ever since. -
@crucial love to hear stories like that, its one of the reasons Fumi tanaka was a bit of a fan fav, rocked up in dunners with no promises, had just been told by tony brown dunedin was a good place to play...joined a club, played the whole season, got picked up by otago, played the whole season...got picked up by the landers
i think some of his most common criticism come from playing next to smith, the game always slows a bit or he doesnt spot the same gaps...no he doesn;t...and there are few in the world that can!
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Gallagher Chiefs:
- Aidan Ross (39)
- Samisoni Taukei’aho (40)
- Angus Ta’avao (39)
- Tupou Vaa’i (10)
- Naitoa Ah Kuoi (16)
- Mitchell Brown (49)
- Kaylum Boshier (1)
- Luke Jacobson (29)
- Brad Weber (89) (c)
- Kaleb Trask (11)
- Etene Nanai-Seturo (17)
- Quinn Tupaea (15)
- Anton Lienert-Brown (85)
- Jonah Lowe (2)
- Damian McKenzie (87)
Reserves:
16. Bradley Slater (19)
17. Ollie Norris (7)
18. Joe Apikotoa (2)
19. Samipeni Finau (3)
20. Pita Gus Sowakula (29)
21. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (41)
22. Alex Nankivell (34)
23. Shaun Stevenson (55)() = Gallagher Chiefs caps in brackets
*denotes Gallagher Chiefs debut
**denotes Sky Super Rugby debutUnavailable for selection:
Atu Moli (hips), Chase Tiatia (illness), Laghlan McWhannell (knee), Mitchell Karpik (illness), Sam Cane (shoulder/pectoral), Sean Wainui (ankle) -
@bovidae said in Highlanders v Chiefs (Sat 10/4/21):
No L Boshier.
They decided that he needed playing minutes before coming back so is playing club rugby in the Naki instead.
The K Bosh selection at 7 is a surprise but I am pretty happy with that overall 23.
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@crucial said in Highlanders v Chiefs (Sat 10/4/21):
The K Bosh selection at 7 is a surprise but I am pretty happy with that overall 23.
I also think this helps with the balance of the loose forwards and substitutions. Sowakula comes on for Boshier and Jacobson moves to 7. Finau can either be the 6 or lock replacement.
No mention of O'Neill's status but he was a late change in the Blues game and also misses out here.
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i can never bring myself to bet against the landers...but if i could i might, this is exactly the kind of game we loose, come off a good win and forgot everything we did right last week
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@kiwiwomble said in Highlanders v Chiefs (Sat 10/4/21):
i can never bring myself to bet against the landers...but if i could i might, this is exactly the kind of game we loose, come off a good win and forgot everything we did right last week
It will be interesting that’s for sure. One team buzzing and confident from a big win the other coming off a bye after starting to find form.
Hard to call except to say that the Chiefs will win -
Injuries are a fact of life (although the Crusaders seem to have had more 'luck' than most teams over the last 3-4 years) . But losing both TUJ and Fakatava in one game is a set-back for sure. I guess they are well covered at HB but the 2 contrasting players worked very well.
But go the Highlanders. It would be good if they can up the std and not just for one game.
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@yeetyaah said in Highlanders v Chiefs (Sat 10/4/21):
Good 23. I'm hoping ENS has done some tackle practice. Happy that Lowe is back. Boshier is a surprise at 7 as I thought Jacobson would take that spot.
More a reflection that Sowakula isn’t going that well this year?
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@nepia said in Highlanders v Chiefs (Sat 10/4/21):
@yeetyaah said in Highlanders v Chiefs (Sat 10/4/21):
Good 23. I'm hoping ENS has done some tackle practice. Happy that Lowe is back. Boshier is a surprise at 7 as I thought Jacobson would take that spot.
More a reflection that Sowakula isn’t going that well this year?
Sowakula has only just returned from injury. Whether he starts in later matches is still to be decided.