[2017 Super Rugby] Round 10: Chiefs vs. Sunwolves (29/04/2017)

[TRF_heineken]

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

Teams

Chiefs: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Solomon Alaimalo, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Stephen Donald, 11 Sam McNicol, 10 Aaron Cruden (co-captain), 9 Jonathan Taumateine, 8 Sam Cane (co-captain), 7 Mitchell Karpik, 6 Tom Sanders, 5 Taleni Seu, 4 Dominic Bird, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Hika Elliot, 1 Kane Hames

Substitutes: 16 Brayden Mitchell, 17 Aidan Ross, 18 Sosefo Kautai, 19 Mitchell Brown, 20 Liam Messam, 21 Alex Nankivell, 22 Shaun Stevenson, 23 James Lowe

Sunwolves: 15 Kotaro Matsushima, 14 Teruya Goto, 13 William Tupou, 12 Derek Carpenter, 11 Yasutaka Sasakura, 10 Hayden Cripps, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Shunsuki Nunomaki, 6 Edward Quirk (captain), 5 Sam Wykes, 4 Shinya Makabe, 3 Heiichiro Ito, 2 Takeshi Kizu, 1 Keita Inagaki

Substitutes: 16 Yusuke Niwai, 17 Koki Yamamoto, 18 Takuma Asahara, 19 Uwe Helu, 20 Rahboni Warren Vosayaco, 21 Yuki Yatomi, 22 Yu Tamura, 23 Jamie-Jerry Taulagi

 

[Manu_ARG_JPN]

Difficult match, we must make an acceptable match. Let's Go Sunwolves!!

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Expecting a backlash performance from the Chiefs after a lackluster couple of weeks. Unfortunately for the Sunwolves I'm predicting this will be their biggest defeat of the tour...

 

[Radsy]

First game back from a SA/AUS tour, so I think you'll see a few starters rested. It's confirmed Kerr-Barlow will be rested, and that Finlay Christie is suspended, so young Johnathan Taumateine gets the start. I suspect Retallick might come off the bench.

 

[Larksea]

yeah this game is kinda a tricky prospect for the Chiefs.

home after their road trip, they obviously have tired players. TKB is being rested after a head knock and Christie is out from suspension.

While you expect the chiefs to get 5 points, the sunwolves are a team that can score tries if your not on your game. That makes them a potential banana skin.

Selection will be interesting. Chiefs will be looking to rest their big name guys at some point before going into the business end of the season (Retalick, Cruden, McKenzsie, Lowe, ALB, etc)

 

[Radsy]

Indeed. The schedule is favourable for a buildup towards that business end...Sunwolves, Reds, then Bye.

The competition for spots will become ridiculous soon with the impending returns of Laulala, Harris, Brown, Ngatai, Faauli, and Nanai-Williams.

By the way, how good do the front row stocks look now, compared to last season? Kautai has looked every bit as powerful as he is big. Aidan Ross also had a fantastic debut last week, repeatedly folding the Force down the stretch. Fisiihoi has been a pleasant late-bloomer as well. Atu Moli is a thoroughbred, and future All Black IMO. That's depth.

 

[Manu_ARG_JPN]

 

[Larksea]

yeah I've been saying for a while now how impressive the chiefs props have been. Go back to the 10's tournament the chiefs won. Stephenson was amazing, Messam had a great tournament but IMO the edge the chiefs had were the performances the props turned in compared to other teams. Who ever is training/coaching these guys is doing a great job...

- - - Updated - - -

Chiefs Team named

Chiefs: Damian McKenzie, Solomon Alaimalo, Anton Lienert-Brown, Stephen Donald, Sam McNicol, Aaron Cruden (co-c), Jonathan Taumateine, Sam Cane (co-c), Mitchell Karpik, Tom Sanders, Taleni Seu, Dominic Bird, Nepo Laulala, Hika Elliot, Kane Hames. Reserves: Brayden Mitchell, Aidan Ross, Sefo Kautai, Mitchell Brown, Liam Messam, Alex Nankivell, Shaun Stevenson, James Lowe.

quite a bit of shuffling. they have said that Lowe has dropped to the bench on form but really he hasn't been that bad and he is due to be rested anyway as he has had a huge workload this year. He has been a consistant selection at 11 while 14 has changed almost week to week.. No backup 9, Cruden will move there in the event of an injury.

 

[BobbyM]

Quite a few handling errors and pens by the chiefs. Sunwolves aiming fit usual high intensity so flooodgates might open second half.

 

[Ground We Won]

Does no one else have a problem with the Chiefs offending every match? Whenever a team gets near the try line, they professional foul as much as possible and the refs rarely card them.

 

[Gavin]

What a pass by Lowe, what a swerve by McKenzie

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Nice use of the TMO, took less than a minute to identify the knock on and retain the Sunwolves losing bonus point for a little longer. I have to hold my hands up and say I got my predictions of the Sunwolves being awful this year (and ending up pointless after losing to the Kings) badly, badly wrong. Hats off to their coach Tiatia for these credible back to back performances away to the Highlanders and Chiefs. If the Sunwolves end up in the Oz conference they could end up being very competitive straight away. They are contributing more to the competition this year than many other sides.

 

[Ground We Won]

This game has sadly ended with some foul play, interesting contest, the Sunwolves proving they're a really good addition to the competition though, the Chiefs losing momentum in the season yet again after a strong start, very similar to last season.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Indiscipline by the Sunwolves reduced them to 13 men at the end, but what heroic defence at the end, and a losing bonus point against a strong Chief's lineup. Almost unbelievable.

 

[Ground We Won]

Amazing, they held out for a bonus point, what a great effort!

edit; Just for some perspective, 1 point is a real success for the Sunwolves first tour of New Zealand, that is really progress, it's great.

 

[Bluemoon]

I thought the Sunwolves were good for the bonus point, although the cheap shot absolutely deserved a red card theres at the end.

The Sunwolves 8, not sure of the name, has got a pretty impressive engine on him. Was causing havoc at the breakdown for the Chiefs right to the end.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I thought the Sunwolves were good for the bonus point, although the cheap shot absolutely deserved a red card theres at the end.

The Sunwolves 8, not sure of the name, has got a pretty impressive engine on him. Was causing havoc at the breakdown for the Chiefs right to the end.

Willie Britz. It'll be the best performance by a Britz in New Zealand this summer I reckon.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

The Chiefs needa sort their **** out ASAP

 

[BobbyM]

Fair play to the sunwolves, I didn't expect them to last the full 80! With his penalties had Hames hurt his chances of AB selection?

 

[smartcooky]

There is a an old saying among aircrew.... "Any landing you walk away from is a good one"