[2016 Super Rugby] Chiefs vs. Highlanders (Round 11) 07/05/2016

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: FMG Stadium Waikato
Time: 09:35 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[back2back]

Chiefs: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Toni Pulu, 13 Seta Tamanivalu, 12 Charlie Ngatai, 11 James Lowe, 10 Aaron Cruden (co-captain), 9 Brad Weber; 1 Mitchell Graham, 2 Hika Elliot, 3 Hiroshi Yama****a, 4 Dominic Bird, 5 Brodie Retallick, 6 Taleni Seu, 7 Sam Cane (co-captain), 8 Michael Leitch.

Replacements: 16 Nathan Harris, 17 Siate Tokolahi, 18 Kane Hames, 19 Michael Allardice, 20 Maama Vaipulu, 21 Kayne Hammington, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Sam Vaka.

Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith (c), 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Matt Faddes, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith; 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown, 2 Ash Dixon, 3 Josh Hohneck, 4 Alex Ainley, 5 Tom Franklin, 6 Elliot Dixon, 7 Dan Pryor, 8 Luke Whitelock.

Replacements: 16 Greg Pleasants-Tate, 17 Aki Seiuli, 18 Siosiua Halanukonuka, 19 James Lentjes, 20 Gareth Evans, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Marty Banks, 23 Teihorangi Walden.

Highlanders will win this one, strong backline and a good combination of physicallity in the forwards, Chiefs have looked shaky last few games, there was no Charlie Ngatai, but Landers have got Naholo back, think they will edge.

 

[Regan]

Highlanders will win this one, strong backline and a good combination of physicallity in the forwards, Chiefs have looked shaky last few games, there was no Charlie Ngatai, but Landers have got Naholo back, think they will edge.

Agreed. Chiefs' poor defence will get punished too.

 

[nzlizard]

Hard to see us win this one, hoping for it and you can never write off the Chiefs.

Ngatai back in defense will be key.

Either way taking the boy to the game and it will be great.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

We haven't exactly dominated a game for a while so not counting chickens, really need to win the next couple to stay in the running

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Chiefs to win this one

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Try time Highlanders.

 

[austingtir]

These jumping tackle yellow and red cards are going to end in tears and im not talking about a major injury. Someone is going to milk this rule for all its worth by jumping into tackles willy nilly and I bet it starts at INT level in a major match...

These refs are on drugs they just about red carded Charlie there. The yellow is even crap. Its a penalty at worst.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Try time Highlanders.

Looked like a fwd pass from the wing at the beginning of the play.

 

[Bazzy]

Yeah I can't believe they were even thinking about red...
Shouldn't even be a yellow. It was dangerous, yes but how was it Ngatai's fault?

 

[austingtir]

Looked like a fwd pass from the wing at the beginning of the play.

It was, like I was saying in another Chiefs match they cant be jammy buggers all season.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Someone is going to milk this rule for all its worth by jumping into tackles willy nilly

+1000000

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Looked like a fwd pass from the wing at the beginning of the play.

What Naholo's pass to Ben Smith? Yep I thought so at the time as well.

 

[austingtir]

Yeah I can't believe they were even thinking about red...
Shouldn't even be a yellow. It was dangerous, yes but how was it Ngatai's fault?

Another side of this coin is a player is going to try and "save" the guy after and hold onto his legs and maybe even make it worse! Its just another crap PC rule. There was nothing at all Charlie could of done different in the split second that happened in. Its just utter utter BS.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Try time again for the Highlanders. Welcome back Naholo!!!

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

What i don't like is that the difference between red and yellow in many instances will come down to luck, as although the tackler is responsible for how the tackled one lands, he hardly has full control over whether the guy lands on his arms, arse (both yellow) or head / neck (red).

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Try time Chiefs. Great team try.

 

[austingtir]

Uhhhh its so irritating when the Chiefs scrum is going backwards at warp 10 and they score anyway.

 

[Bluemoon]

That was a lovely try for the chiefs! Some really high class attacking on show.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Brace for Naholo!!!