Stormers vs Chiefs

Bovidae

The Gallagher Chiefs team to take on the Stormers is:

Karl Tu’inukuafe (8)
Nathan Harris (39)
Angus Ta’avao (9)
Brodie Retallick (93)
Michael Allardice (26)
Luke Jacobson (6)
Liam Messam (171)
Tyler Ardron (6)
Brad Weber (49)
Damian McKenzie (59)
Solomon Alaimalo (18)
Johnny Faauli (14)
Anton Lienert-Brown (49)
Toni Pulu (26)
Charlie Ngatai (48) (c)
Liam Polwart (15)
Sam Prattley (2)
Jeff Thwaites (6)
Jesse Parete (1)
Pita Gus Sowakula (4)
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (9)
Marty McKenzie (13)
Shaun Stevenson (25)

Bovidae

Make or break for the Chiefs as I can't see an understrength team beating the Sharks next week.

Nepia

I think the Chiefs are done this season sadly.

ARHS

@nepia

If they lose this one, I think they are really up against it, as second-stringers will not beat Sharks. Bit mystified by the addition of Matich and Parete when an openside and lock seemed to be needed for SA.

Surely they will need to play strongest team v Waratahs when they return, to get the points (hopefully), meaning that McKenzie and Lienert-Brown then get rested v Crusaders. So, I can't foresee much positive momentum going into the break.

Nepia

@arhs Are there no 7s floating around? It seems weird, like we've got five 6/8s.

Looking forward to see how Ardon goes as a loosie, he's had a decent season.

ARHS

@nepia

Can't quite figure why the reluctance to involve Mitch Jacobsen, unless studies or other commitments prevent him from travelling. Likewise, seems odd to have James Tucker back as captain of Development team, and not used as a specialist lock. And is Jordan Manihera still aligned to Crusaders?

I do think Parete has a lot to offer nevertheless and keen to see Ardron at number 8. But, what happens next week v the Sharks lock-wise? Shame Keepa Mewett not involved.

Bovidae

Sowakula and Parete would be the backup (short) locks, the latter having played there for the Chiefs Dev team. Tucker would have been a useful replacement for this tour.

@Nepia As I mentioned in another thread, Mitch Jacobson could have been used as a specialist no.7. Messam playing there isn't ideal.

Edit: Written before seeing @ARHS's post.

Bovidae

@arhs said in Stormers vs Chiefs:

And is Jordan Manihera still aligned to Crusaders?

I haven't seen his name listed in the HOB teams playing club rugby, which suggests he isn't in Hamilton at present.

Duluth

Stormers
15 SP Marais, 14 Dillyn Leyds, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Kobus van Dyk, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Chris van Zyl, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Ramone Samuels, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Reserves: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 23 Seabelo Senatla

Their results so far this year: 11 games 5 wins, 6 losses

100% at home
0% away

Stargazer

@bovidae said in Stormers vs Chiefs:

@arhs said in Stormers vs Chiefs:

And is Jordan Manihera still aligned to Crusaders?

I haven't seen his name listed in the HOB teams playing club rugby, which suggests he isn't in Hamilton at present.

Manihera has had some strange few months. He was about to join Brive in the Top 14 as injury cover until the end of the season (he was already there!), but because the rules in France say that signing a player as injury cover is only permitted if the injured player will be out for a minimum of three months, he had to return to New Zealand. The player he was about to replace was expected to be out for about a month. This all happened in March.

He played for HOB in April. Maybe he's injured at the moment?

No Quarter

What are Chiefs fans thoughts of Ngatai continuing to play 15? I feel like he's wasted there, and sometimes gets exposed, whereas at 12 he's all class and will touch the ball far more regularly as well. A cool head outside of DMac wouldn't be a bad thing either.

ploughboy

mitch Jacobson probably not involved because he struggles at npc level let alone at a higher level

Milk

@no-quarter I'm sure he could have been a very good fullback if he'd played a lot of rugby there. Perhaps they think his leadership at the back is more valuable for McKenzie than it would in midfield, with ALB able to help there. Or perhaps the drop down to the next available fullback is bigger than the drop to the next available midfielder. I'm happy with either rationale.

What I don't like is the suspicion that he's playing back there to protect him from more concussions. That sounds really dodgy to me.

Bovidae

@stargazer

Thanks. He is playing tomorrow. There's a guy at fullback called Zac Guildford too.

Bovidae

@ploughboy said in Stormers vs Chiefs:

mitch Jacobson probably not involved because he struggles at npc level let alone at a higher level

I think that's harsh as he was one of the best performers for Waikato last year. Jacobson hasn't been given an opportunity to prove himself, and I think he offers more than Karpik.

Bovidae

@no-quarter said in Stormers vs Chiefs:

What are Chiefs fans thoughts of Ngatai continuing to play 15? I feel like he's wasted there, and sometimes gets exposed, whereas at 12 he's all class and will touch the ball far more regularly as well. A cool head outside of DMac wouldn't be a bad thing either.

I don't think there would be any Chiefs fan who doesn't want Ngatai playing at 12, except Fa'auli's family.

@Milk
Let's see what happens next week when ALB won't be there. If Ngatai is still at fullback with Fa'auli and Nankivell in the midfield you have your answer. Stevenson is also back to provide another option in the back three.

gt12

@bovidae said in Stormers vs Chiefs:

@no-quarter said in Stormers vs Chiefs:

What are Chiefs fans thoughts of Ngatai continuing to play 15? I feel like he's wasted there, and sometimes gets exposed, whereas at 12 he's all class and will touch the ball far more regularly as well. A cool head outside of DMac wouldn't be a bad thing either.

I don't think there would be any Chiefs fan who doesn't want Ngatai playing at 12, except Fa'auli's family.

@Milk
Let's see what happens next week when ALB won't be there. If Ngatai is still at fullback with Fa'auli and Nankivell in the midfield you have your answer. Stevenson is also back to provide another option in the back three.

From memory, he's meant to be the next 15 too, so it'll be strange if he doesn't get time there now that he's fit.I worry that he'l leave if he only gets time on the wing, as I seem to remember he really wants to play 15.

On Ngatai, I think it's about his head. He should be at 12, and it's a joke that we have a fit 15 and Ngatai still at the back.

Chester Draws

@bovidae said in Stormers vs Chiefs:

@ploughboy said in Stormers vs Chiefs:

mitch Jacobson probably not involved because he struggles at npc level let alone at a higher level

I think that's harsh as he was one of the best performers for Waikato last year. Jacobson hasn't been given an opportunity to prove himself, and I think he offers more than Karpik.

I didn't think he was particularly outstanding. And it was such a trash team that being the best in it isn't saying much.

I'd pick Karpik.

Bovidae

@chester-draws

Karpik is too small for me. He often gets outmuscled at the breakdown.

Baron Silas Greenback

@bovidae said in Stormers vs Chiefs:

@chester-draws

Karpik is too small for me. He often gets outmuscled at the breakdown.

I think you are wrong.

Bones

Wasn't Henwood a chief? From what I've seen this season he would have been been the better one to keep.

Stargazer

Very average first half. One try to ALB and a penalty to the Stormers. And a lot of errors. Why kick from 55-60 metres at the end? That was clearly beyond Dmac's range; they should have gone for the line-out. HT: Stormers 3 - 5 Chiefs

Stargazer

Wow, really bad officiating. First obstruction from the Chiefs not spotted, and then Stormers penalised for jumping too quickly in the line-out while it was in fact a Chiefs player jumping first.

Nepia

Chiefs are looking average ... as expected.

Fa’auli is such a dumb player. He went in to do a clean out when there was no tackle and just blew past the player he should have been supporting.

Stargazer

Anyway, Chiefs are playing better, so should now be able to get back the lead. Scrum close to the Stormers' try line.

Stargazer

@nepia It's worrying, because if they play like this with their ABs, how are they going to play without their ABs next week?

Nepia

@stargazer said in Stormers vs Chiefs:

@nepia It's worrying, because if they play like this with their ABs, how are they going to play without their ABs next week?

They don’t have the depth this year, they need Cane and Rettalick to both be playing to put in good performance.

Shitty pass from ALB - or was it Stevenson?

Stargazer

@nepia Stevenson.

Nepia

Damn, we won a scrum penalty try with Prattley!😄

ShadowTrooper

@stargazer I'm hoping a damn sight better.....

ShadowTrooper

Chiefs doing it tough, but love the big boppers getting involved

ShadowTrooper

Fucken forward pass or fucken knock-0n - which is it then you fucken muppets

Nepia

That was class by Stevenson even if it doesn’t count.

Nepia

Brodie Retallick was awesome in that last few minutes - in fact the Chiefs played that well, didn't over commit in rucks until they had the chance to pilfer and won the penalty.

I'll take the win.

Stargazer

Well, that was a forgettable game. But a win's a win.

ShadowTrooper

Yesssssssss season saved........until next week

ARHS

@nepia

Yes, thank goodness for Brodie - the standout. Worried about next week without him though!

Rebound

@shadowtrooper TMO didn't want to embarras the referee there. Referee rules no try knock on. TMO answers no clear evidence of knock on, stay with on filed decision (which he then makes up) forward pass.

Could he just not have said, no knock on but a forward pass. But clearly there neither was clear evidence of that as well. Just a f up and worrying trend.

Crucial

@rebound said in Stormers vs Chiefs:

@shadowtrooper TMO didn't want to embarras the referee there. Referee rules no try knock on. TMO answers no clear evidence of knock on, stay with on filed decision (which he then makes up) forward pass.

Could he just not have said, no knock on but a forward pass. But clearly there neither was clear evidence of that as well. Just a f up and worrying trend.

I was pissed off at that one. Basically the ref said 'on field decision try' then changed to 'on field is no try' because the AR was insistent that there was an obvious knock on by Ngatai. As the pictures showed it wasn't clear and obvious at all. There was no proof of any knock on or forward pass and the grounding was clean, yet no try awarded.

pakman

@nepia said in Stormers vs Chiefs:

Damn, we won a scrum penalty try with Prattley!😄

In fact it was Tu’inukuafe. Kitshoff had just been replaced. Two scrums later Prattley on and Malherbe had replaced Louw for Stormers -- Chiefs scrum mullered.

Only watched replay of second half, but Chiefs pack manhandled Stormers.

Tu’inukuafe, Harris and Ta’avao clearly on top scrum time. Not bad for second stringers!!

The Silver Fern

Stormers vs Chiefs