The Blues will face the Chiefs on Sunday’s Investec Super Rugby Aotearoa match at Eden Park @ 05:35 SA Time. The Blues won the first game between the two sides in the 2020 Super Rugby Aotearoa competition in Round two with 24-12. The Blues lost to the Hurricanes (27-29) while the Chiefs lost to the Highlanders (31-33) last weekend.
Sitting just four points behind the Crusaders on the ladder and coming off two losses against the Hurricanes and Crusaders, the Blues will be hoping to bounce back with a victory over the Chiefs to remain in touching distance of the competition leaders. The Blues are coming off a heart-breaking loss. After leading for much of the match, a clutch Jordie Barrett conversion from the sideline stole the game from under the Blues nose.
Last week’s second-half performance against the Highlanders summed up the season so far for the Chiefs, who is still looking for their first win of the season. Up 31-7 with 34 minutes on the clock, the Chiefs were hapless as the Highlanders stormed back to secure a scarcely believable 33-31 win last weekend. It was a bitter blow for the Chiefs and one that ended their very faint hopes of lifting the Investec Super Rugby Aotearoa title.
Loosehead prop Reuben O’Neill joins the starting front row in place of starting loosehead prop Aidan Ross who has been sidelined with a calf strain following last weekend’s clash against the Highlanders. The Chiefs elusive backline remains unchanged. In the reserves, young prop Ollie Norris joins the twenty-three alongside Taranaki halfback Lisati Milo-Harris.
Loose forward Adam Thomson will don jersey nineteen for his 100th Investec Super Rugby appearance.
Gatland said the side has once again prepared well for the derby.
“Last weekend we had the opportunity to finish the job off, but as we have seen in this competition you need to deliver an 80-minute performance, or longer in some instances and we didn’t do that. This week we are looking for that consistency, starting strong once again and then continuing to stay in the game and maintain our focus on what we can control.”
Chiefs: 1. Reuben O’Neill, 2. Bradley Slater, 3. Nepo Laulala, 4. Tupou Vaa’i, 5. Mitchell Brown, 6. Lachlan Boshier, 7. Sam Cane (C), 8. Pita Gus Sowakula, 9. Brad Weber, 10. Kaleb Trask, 11. Solomon Alaimalo, 12. Alex Nankivell, 13. Anton Lienert-Brown, 14. Sean Wainui, 15. Damian McKenzie. Replacements: 16. Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17. Ollie Norris, 18. Ross Geldenhuys, 19. Adam Thomson, 20. Mitchell Karpik, 21. Lisati Milo-Harris, 22. Aaron Cruden, 23. Quinn Tupaea.
Blake Gibson and Beauden Barrett will make key appearances for the Blues. Barrett, the two-time world player of the year, will make the first of his six starts for the Blues at flyhalf while Gibson returns after a hamstring twinge to play at openside flanker in his 50th game.
There are the significant milestones in a team that sees Kurt Eklund at hooker after an energetic display against the Hurricanes, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti starts at lock with Josh Goodhue to come off the bench after some big minutes in this campaign while Caleb Clarke and TJ Faiane return to the starting line-up.
On the bench, All Black Karl Tu’inukuafe and Sam Nock return from injury while utility Emoni Narawa is bracketed with Otere Black, who will need to come through Friday’s contact session.
Gibson was a key prospect after making his Blues debut in 2015 and enjoying a superb 2017 season when he was earmarked for higher honours. However, injuries thwarted his progress in 2018 and 2019 and he makes a welcome return to enjoy his 50th appearance for the Blues.
Black came off after a bump to his neck last week, and while he passed the HIA, there is stiffness with neck movement. If he does not play, then Harry Plummer will cover first-five.
“We have always said that we have brought Beauden to the Blues to run the cutter but after the season-ending injury to Stephen Perofeta, it forced a rethink. He was our best option for fullback with the luxury have having another outstanding No 10 in Otere Black,” said Blues coach Leon MacDonald.
“With Otere carrying a slight injury, then we’ve moved Beauden to 10 and I am sure he is looking forward to that challenge, while Matt Duffie was good when he came on at fullback.
“We are pleased to have Blake back on the field. He is key part to our loose forward mix both defensively and with the ball in hand and I am sure the team want him to enjoy his 50th game with a strong performance.
“Overall we want a much more focussed and energetic effort this week, particularly from the pack so we can supply some front-foot ball to set our backline into action.
“Defence has been a key but we missed 30 tackles last week which is not going to enable us to win many games. With that issue and a platform that was not as stable as it has been, then to be honest we did well to have our noses Infront inside the last 10 minutes.
“There were lots of good things with our lineout, mauls and some good carries. We know the Chiefs are much better than their results and will bring everything to this match as they always do. There’s everything to play for and we are excited to be home at Eden Park in front of a big crowd of fans on Sunday.”
Blues: 1. Alex Hodgman, 2. Kurt Eklund, 3. Of Tuungafasi, 4. Patrick Tuipulotu, 5. Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 6. Blake Gibson, 7. Dalton Papalii, 8. Akira Ioane, 9. Finlay Christie, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. TJ Faiane, 13.Rieko Ioane, 14. Mark Telea, 15. Matt Duffie. Replacements: 16. Luteru Tolai, 17. Karl Tu'inukuafe, 18. Sione Mafileo, 19. Josh Goodhue, 20. Tony Lamborn, 21. Sam Nock, 22. Otere Black/Emoni Narawa, 23. Harry Plummer
Opta Facts
The Blues have won two of their last three Super Rugby games against the Chiefs and will be looking to snatch back-to-back wins against them for the first time since 2010/11 after earning a 24-12 victory when they last met in Round 2 of Super Rugby Aotearoa.
The Chiefs have won seven of their last nine away games against the Blues in Super Rugby, including a 37-29 win when they met in Round 1 of the 2020 Super
Rugby campaign – their last encounter in Auckland.
The Chiefs have lost a club-record equaling six consecutive Super Rugby games heading into this fixture and will be looking to avoid an outright club record of seven straight defeats; although, they have earned a losing bonus point in five of the six games in this current stretch.
The Chiefs have gained 122 metres from mauls in Super Rugby Aotearoa, the most of any team in the competition; although, only the Blues (3) have scored more tries via mauls than the Chiefs (2) in this campaign.
Rieko Ioane (Blues) has scored 15 tries in his last 14 games on home soil for the Blues, including five tries in his last four home games.