Cane leads Chiefs from No.8
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Chiefs head coach Warren Gatland has named his side to face the Blues in their opening game of the 2020 Super Rugby season against the Blues at Eden Park.
The selected twenty-three will see three debutants in Waikato centre Quinn Tupaea and Bay of Plenty flyhalf Kaleb Trask, named in the starting XV and Wellington lock Naitoa Ah Kuoi hoping to debut off the bench.
The front row will feature loosehead prop Aidan Ross pack down alongside tighthead All Black prop Nepo Laulala and hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho. Tyler Ardron and Mitchell Brown will be the starting locking duo with debutant Ah Kuoi covering on the bench. In the loose forwards Lachlan Boshier and Mitchell Karpik will be at six and seven respectively, with Chiefs captain Sam Cane packing down the scrum at No.8.
In the backs, scrumhalf Toiroa Tahuriorangi will combine with 21-year-old Trask at ten. In the midfield Alex Nankivell will don the No.12 jersey, with Tupaea named at centre. A familiar back three will start with Solomon Alaimalo on the left wing and Sean Wainui on the right and crafty fullback Damian McKenzie to complete an exciting backline.
Chiefs rookie hooker Bradley Slater will be joined by an experienced bench of props in All Blacks Atu Moli and Angus Ta’avao. Pita Gus Sowakula will provide loose forward cover. Backline cover will feature a ton of experience in All Black Brad Weber, returning flyhalf Aaron Cruden and All Black midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown.
Chiefs: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Sean Wainui, 13 Quinn Tupaea, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Solomon Alaimalo, 10 Kaleb Trask, 9 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 8 Sam Cane, 7 Mitchell Karpik, 6 Lachlan Boshier, 5 Mitchell Brown, 4 Tyler Ardron, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Aidan Ross.
Replacements: 16 Bradley Slater, 17 Atu Moli, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20 Pita Gus Sowakula, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Aaron Cruden, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown.
Date: Friday, January 31
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 19.05 (06.05 GMT)
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: Paul Williams (New Zealand), Dan Waenga (New Zealand)
TMO: Aaron Paterson (New Zealand)
