Super Rugby Aotearoa, Round Two - Teams & Predictions
SUNDAY FUNDAY: New Zealand fans will again have the chance to flock to the stadiums when the Crusaders host the Hurricanes on Sunday in Christchurch.
Originally scheduled for Saturday, March 6, the fixture was delayed by a day in a bid to allow fans to attend the match – provided New Zealand’s current COVID alert levels do not last more than their scheduled seven days.
The Government moved Auckland to level 3 and the rest of New Zealand to level 2 on Sunday with the restrictions in place until Saturday. Super Rugby Aotearoa matches will be played without crowds at level 2.
This is certainly good news for Crusaders players and fans, who will be eager to build on their 31-16 win over Highlanders in the opening round.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s encounter, Crusaders assistant coach Jason Ryan admitted the champions will have to tidy up their infringement if they want the W against the Wellington side.
Ryan said the side’s ill-discipline had been a target for improvement this week – especially improving the team’s tendency to creep up on defence.
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“If we’re talking about it on Monday then we’ve got a bit of an issue,” Ryan said of the many offside penalties that had been dished out to the Crusaders over the weekend.
“We need to be harder on the boys at training to set them up to succeed. It’ll help on the training field putting those things into place because the ARs [assistant referees] are just searching for it, the offside lines, and that’s great, as long as it’s consistent, which, to be fair, it has.
“A lot of people blame the referees but in all honesty, they’re just doing what they’re told to do and they’ve been real clear on it.”
They had been using a local referee at their training to help with issues.
Ryan said he had been involved in a frank discussion with prop Joe Moody who referee Ben O’Keefe, upon review, said should have been yellow-carded for a retaliatory action early in last weekend’s game.
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Time to shine
In the other Super Rugby Aotearoa fixture, Chiefs will play their first match of the season when they host the Highlanders on Friday.
Highlanders head coach Tony Brown has opted to bench All Blacks star Aaron Smith for Friday’s encounter.
The decision has been highly debated by many pundits.
However Brown said the action isn’t a case of dropping his star man, but rather a case of promoting Folau Fakatava.
Fakatava, the promising young scrumhalf out of Hawke’s Bay, has been named to start for the Highlanders for the first time since joining the franchise as a 19-year-old two years ago.
“It’s a good opportunity for Folau,” Brown said.
“He’s had a good pre-season, did well off the bench last Friday night, so it’s his opportunity to see what he can do as a starting No. 9, and we’ll see what Aaron can do off the bench.
“Aaron’s obviously the world’s best scrumhalf, but we wanted to always rotate those two guys in the first two games, so it’s a massive opportunity for Folau.”
For the Chiefs, five debutants will feature in the matchday 23.
Sione Mafileo, Bryn Gatland and Jonah Lowe will pull on the Chiefs jersey for the first time – having been named in the starting XV, alongside loose forward Samipeni Finau, who will make his Super Rugby debut in the No.6 jersey.
Scrumhalf Xavier Roe is in-line make his Super Rugby debut off the bench.
Loosehead prop Reuben O’Neill, hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho and tighthead debutant Mafileo will pack down a powerful front row.
A youthful locking duo of All Black Tupou Vaa’i and Naitoa Ah Kuoi will complete the tight five.
“A significant amount of effort has gone into our pre-season and there is a genuine excitement leading into our first game,” Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan said.
“It is important all that hard work and energy manifests into a performance we can all be proud of.
“We know that a lot of our fans are disappointed they cannot attend this Friday, but we are grateful we can have a select group of sponsors, members, and whānau there to support our team,” said McMillan.
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Friday, March 5
Chiefs v Highlanders
(FMG Stadium, Hamilton – Kick-off: 19:05, 06.05 GMT)
The Highlanders are undefeated in their last four Super Rugby games against the Chiefs, after losing each of their three meetings prior.
The Highlanders have won four of their last five Super Rugby away games against the Chiefs, including each of their last two despite trailing at halftime on the day.
The Chiefs have lost their last nine Super Rugby games; indeed, it is the longest losing run in the club’s history.
The Highlanders missed the fewest tackles (17) of any team in Round 1 of Super Rugby Aotearoa 2021; in fact, they were only team with a tally under 20 in this category.
Lachlan Boshier (Chiefs) was the first player to arrive at more rucks (102) than any other individual in the 2020 Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign.
Head to head:
Prediction
@rugby365com: Highlanders by five points
Chiefs: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Jonah Lowe, 13 Sean Wainui, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 11 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 10 Bryn Gatland, 9 Brad Weber (co-captain), 8 Luke Jacobson, 7 Sam Cane (co-captain), 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 4 Tupou Vaa’i, 3 Sione Mafileo, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Reuben O’Neill.
Replacements: 16 Bradley Slater, 17 Ollie Norris, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Mitchell Brown, 20 Mitchell Karpik, 21 Xavier Roe, 22 Alex Nankivell, 23 Shaun Stevenson.
Highlanders: 15 Mitch Hunt, 14 Connor Garden-Bachop, 13 Ngatungane Punivai, 12 Patelesio Tomkinson, 11 Jona Nareki, 10 Josh Ioane, 9 Folau Fakatava, 8 Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, 7 Billy Harmon, 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Jack Regan, 4 Josh Dickson, 3 Siate Tokolahi, 2 Ash Dixon (co-captain), 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown.
Replacements: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 Josh Hohneck, 18 Jeff Thwaites, 19 Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 20 Liam Squire, 21 Aaron Smith (co-captain), 22 Solomon Alaimalo, 23 Hugh Renton.
Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant referees: Mike Fraser, James Doleman
TMO: Brendon Pickerill
Sunday, March 7
Crusaders v Hurricanes
(Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch – Kick-off: 16.35, 03.35 GMT)
The Hurricanes defeated the Crusaders in their most recent meeting in Super Rugby (34-32, July 2020), snapping a six-match losing run against them.
The Hurricanes will be aiming for back-to-back away wins against the Crusaders in Super Rugby for the first time, following their 34-32 triumph in their most recent such meeting (July 2020).
The Crusaders conceded the joint-fewest clean breaks (7) of any team in Round 1 of this Super Rugby Aotearoa season (also Blues); the Hurricanes (11) conceded the most of any side.
The Crusaders were the only team to make 100+ tackles in Round 1 of this Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign (130); indeed, their tally was 35 more than the next best side (Blues – 95).
Asafo Aumua (Hurricanes) beat the most defenders (6) of any player in Round 1 of this Super Rugby Aotearoa season, two more than any Crusaders player managed.
Head to head:
Prediction
@rugby365com: Crusaders by five points
Teams:
Crusaders: 15 David Havili, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Dallas McLeod, 11 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Mitchell Drummond, 8 Cullen Grace, 7 Tom Christie, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Scott Barrett (captain), 3 Michael Alaalatoa, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody.
Replacements: 16 Brodie McAlister, 17 George Bower, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Quinten Strange, 20 Sione Havili Talitui, 21 Bryn Hall, 22 Fergus Burke, 23 Will Jordan.
Hurricanes: 15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Wes Goosen, 13 Peter Umaga-Jensen, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 9 Jonathan Taumateine, 8 Ardie Savea (captain), 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 6 Reed Prinsep, 5 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 4 James Blackwell, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Asafo Aumua, 1 Fraser Armstrong.
Replacements: 16 Ricky Riccitelli, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Tevita Mafileo, 19 Liam Mitchell, 20 Devan Flanders, 21 Luke Campbell, 22 Billy Proctor, 23 Salesi Rayasi.
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant referees: Mike Fraser & James Doleman
TMO: Brendon Pickerill
Additional source: @Allblacks & SuperRugby
* Stats courtesy of Stats Perform
