Kini Naholo of the Hurricanes. Photo: Elias Rodriguez/Photosport
Chiefs v Hurricanes
Kick-off: 7.05pm Friday 24 May
FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
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Two teams with reputations for excitement collide at FMG Stadium Waikato on Friday night, with the second-placed Hurricanes taking on the fourth-placed Chiefs.
What's on the line? Probable home field advantage in the play-offs but also a measure of revenge for the Chiefs after they were humbled the last time the sides met.
As usual, there are All Black storylines across the park, with Damian McKenzie and Jordie Barrett set to play big roles.
Jordie Barrett of the Hurricanes makes a run during Super Rugby Pacific, 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Here are the team lists:
Chiefs: 15 Shaun Stevenson, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Luke Jacobson (c), 7 Kaylum Boshier, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Tupou Vaa'i, 4 Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 3 George Dyer, 2 Samisoni Taukei'aho, 1 Aidan Ross
Bench: 16 Tyrone Thompson, 17 Jared Proffit, 18 Sione Ahio, 19 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20 Wallace Sititi, 21 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22 Josh Ioane, 23 Rameka Poihipi
Hurricanes: 15 Ruben Love, 14 Josh Moorby, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett (c), 11 Kini Naholo, 10 Brett Cameron, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Brayden Iose, 7 Peter Lakai, 6 Devan Flanders, 5 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 4 Justin Sangster, 3 Pasilio Tosi, 2 Raymond Tuputupu, 1 Xavier Numia
Bench: 16 James O'Reilly, 17 Pouri Rakete-Stones, 18 Tevita Mafileo, 19 Caleb Delany, 20 TK Howden, 21 Richard Judd, 22 Peter Umaga-Jensen, 23 Salesi Rayasi
Chiefs selections
Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan. Photo: Aaron Gillions / Photosport
Clayton McMillan has been able to name a pretty much top-strength side, with Cortez Ratima the only member of the backline not to have played test rugby (yet). Etene Nanai-Seturo and Emoni Narawa have been in great form this season and McKenzie is a threat enough on his own without the likes of them outside him.
The Chiefs even have the luxury of keeping very promising rookie Wallace Sititi on the bench, with Kaylum Boshier and Simon Parker forming a well-balanced loose trio alongside Luke Jacobson.
Hurricanes selections
Hurricanes head coach Clark Laidlaw. Photo: www.photosport.nz
The Canes are without skipper Brad Shields - his place on the side of the scrum is taken by Devan Flanders - while Raymond Tuputupu has got the nod at hooker despite James O'Reilly being available.
A lot of work will once again fall on Peter Lakai and Brayden Iose's shoulders, but the Canes' scrum effort may well be a deciding factor in this one.
Billy Proctor and Ruben Love are being talked up as potential All Blacks this year and with good reason. Clark Laidlaw has been consistently picking Kini Naholo on the wing and he is enjoying a bit of a breakout season, while Josh Moorby is a try-scoring threat on the other side.
The last time they met
Hurricanes 36 - 23 Chiefs (round eight)
Potentially the Canes' best performance of the year, they scored 19 unanswered points to put this game away in Wellington. TJ Perenara scored two tries, while if anyone had not noticed Iose's form before then, they certainly must have by the time the final whistle blew.
The Chiefs did not play badly - they were actually ahead at halftime through tries to Narawa and Ratima - but could not keep up once the Canes hit top gear.
What they're saying
"They're a team that are similar to us. They've invested in some youth over the last few years. They haven't lost a lot of bodies; they've got a lot of continuity in their squad and good coaching. Coming into the season I anticipated they were going to be one of the front runners, and that's turned out to be the case, it's not a surprise." - Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan
"They've got the best first five-eighths in the competition in Damian McKenzie. They've got cohesion around their coaching group and players that allows them to be clear on how they want to play the game and their identity, which is highly physical and fast and aggressive." - Hurricanes coach Clark Laidlaw
Prediction
There is a big crowd expected for this game, which should give the Chiefs an extra edge given that they are unbeaten at FMG Stadium Waikato this season. They also beat the Canes the last time the sides met in Hamilton and come in with a much more settled look about their squad.
It is likely this one could come down to goal kicking - the Canes have both Brett Cameron and Jordie Barrett to knock over any long-range opportunities, while Damian McKenzie's accuracy this year has been very good.
In short, this is going to be a close-run thing, so discipline will be key.