Brodie Retallick hits 100 for Chiefs
Chiefs co-captain Brodie Retallick is set to play his 100th Super Rugby game for the franchise on Saturday when they face the Brumbies in Canberra.
Head coach Colin Cooper has named a strong starting XV with a near unchanged pack that will take the field after last week’s loss to the Highlanders in Hamilton.
The only alteration to the forwards sees Nepo Laulala move from the bench into the starting tighthead prop position for fellow All Black Angus Ta’avao, who is on leave.
In the back-line All Black Damian McKenzie will return from injury to start, combining with fellow All Black team-mate Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi at half-back for the first time this season. Winger Ataata Moeakiola will take his position on the right wing with Bailyn Sullivan named as cover on the bench.
Joining Sullivan on the bench will be front-row Sosefo Kautai, loose forward Mitch Karpik, half-back cover Jonathan Taumateine and midfield cover Orbyn Leger.
Cooper said this weekend is an opportunity for the side to step up and embrace their learnings from last weekend.
“We have a young team and last week they learnt a lot, this weekend we need them to take on board those learnings and as a team deliver on them,” he explained.
Cooper finished acknowledging the side will be wanting to deliver a positive performance in honour of their captain’s achievement.
“As a team we want this to be a memorable occasion for Brodie and we want to pull together a performance befitting this milestone on the field come Saturday night,” he added.
Chiefs: 15 Shaun Stevenson, 14 Ataata Moeakiola, 13 Tumua Manu, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 11 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 8 Tyler Ardron, 7 Lachlan Boshier, 6 Mitchell Brown, 5 Michael Allardice, 4 Brodie Retallick (c), 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Nathan Harris, 1 Aidan Ross
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Tevita Mafileo, 18 Sosefo Kautai, 19 Taleni Seu, 20 Mitchell Karpik, 21 Jonathan Taumateine, 22 Orbyn Leger, 23 Bailyn Sullivan
Date: Saturday, February 23
Venue: GIO Stadium, Canberra
Kick-off: 19:45 local (08:45 GMT)
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: Damon Murphy (Australia), Graham Cooper (Australia)
Television match official: Ian Smith (Australia)