Damian McKenzie boost for Scott Robertson as star playmaker returns from injury in new position for the Chiefs

David Skippers 12 Mar 2025 8:44 AM

Damian McKenzie lining up a shot at goal for Chiefs.

The Chiefs have received a boost after it was confirmed that All Blacks duo Damian McKenzie and captain Luke Jacobson will make their return from injury in Saturday’s clash with the Blues in Hamilton.

McKenzie has recovered from a knee injury which ruled him out of the Chiefs’ defeat to the Fijian Drua and will make his first start at fly-half after being named at full-back for his team’s first three matches against the Blues, Crusaders and Brumbies.

The All Blacks star sustained his injury in that clash with the Brumbies in Hamilto and there were concerns in the Chiefs camp as McKenzie ruptured his ACL in that same knee during the 2019 season.

However, Chiefs assistant coach Roger Randle revealed that McKenzie’s injury was not as bad as initially feared as it was understood to be bone bruising and they opted not to risk him in last weekend’s clash with the Drua in Lautoka.

Good news for Scott Robertson

The 29-year-old’s return to action will be welcomed by All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson after Blues star Beauden Barrett fractured his hand in his team’s loss to the Brumbies last weekend.

McKenzie and Barrett shared the fly-half duties for the All Blacks in 2024 and are the frontrunners for that position again this year.

Meanwhile, All Blacks back-row Jacobson returns to lead the side from number eight after recovering from a facial injury sustained in the victory over the Crusaders in Round Two.

With McKenzie starting at fly-half, one-Test All Black Shaun Stevenson comes into the run-on side at full-back for his first start of the Super Rugby Pacific campaign after being on the replacements bench last week.

Stevenson missed the Chiefs’ first three matches after being granted a short-term sabbatical to represent Kubota Spears in Japan Rugby League One.

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He is joined in the back three by Emoni Narawa and Leroy Carter while Anton Lienert-Brown and Quinn Tupaea continue as the starting centres and scrum-half Xavier Roe completes the backline alongside McKenzie as the half-back combination.

In the forwards, Jahrome Brown and Simon Parker get the nod as the two flankers while Tupou Vaa’i and Naitoa Ah Kuoi will start in the second-row. In the front-row, George Dyer and Ollie Ross will pack down as the starting props while Brodie McAlister slots in at hooker.

Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan has named Samisoni Taukei’aho, Aidan Ross, Sione Ahio, Jimmy Tupou and Samipeni Finau as the forward replacements with the latter set to make his 50th appearance for the Hamilton-based outfit when he takes to the field.

Meanwhile, Cortez Ratima, Josh Jacomb and Daniel Rona will offer backline cover off the bench.

Despite their Round Four loss to the Drua, the Chiefs are still in first position on the Super Rugby Pacific table while the Blues, who are the defending champions, are languishing in 10th spot with just the Hurricanes below them.

The Chiefs clinched a deserved 25-14 victory over the Blues when the sides met in the corresponding fixture at Eden Park in Round One.

Chiefs team to face Blues

Chiefs: 15 Shaun Stevenson, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Leroy Carter, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Xavier Roe, 8 Luke Jacobson (c), 7 Jahrome Brown, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 3 George Dyer, 2 Brodie McAlister, 1 Ollie Norris
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Aidan Ross, 18 Sione Ahio, 19 Jimmy Tupou, 20 Samipeni Finau, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Josh Jacomb, 23 Daniel Rona

Date: Saturday, March 15
Venue: FMG Stadium, Waikato
Kick-off: 19:05 local (06:05 GMT)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Stu Curran (New Zealand), Jackson Henshaw (New Zealand)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)