Super Rugby Pacific: teams named for semi-finals
After an improbable run to the semi-finals, the Blues carry in much-needed momentum into Friday night's big clash with the Crusaders. They've only made one change to the side that beat the Chiefs but it's an interesting one, with Zarn Sullivan coming in at fullback. That suggests coach Vern Cotter is anticipating a bit of kicking, with Sullivan's boot perhaps the biggest in the country right now.
Meanwhile, it's an unchanged Crusaders team that will meet them at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch.
There's a slight reshuffle in the loosies for the Chiefs in their side to take on the Brumbies on Saturday night in Hamilton. Wallace Sititi has been named to start at number eight, with Luke Jacobson returning at openside and Samipeni Finau on the blindside. Simon Parker picked up an ankle strain in the loss to the Blues and drops out of the squad, with Jimmy Tupou and Kaylum Boshier on the bench. Quinn Tupaea returns to starts at second five as well.
Crusaders v Blues
Kick-off: 7:05pm Friday 13 June
Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch
Live blog updates on RNZ
Crusaders:
1. George Bower, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Fletcher Newell, 4. Scott Barrett, 5. Antonio Shalfoon, 6. Ethan Blackadder, 7. Tom Christie, 8. Christian Lio-Willie, 9. Noah Hotham, 10. Rivez Reihana, 11. Sevu Reece, 12. David Havili, 13. Braydon Ennor, 14. Chay Fihaki, 15. Will Jordan
Bench: 16. George Bell, 17. Kershawl Sykes-Martin, 18. Seb Calder, 19. Jamie Hannah, 20. Cullen Grace, 21. Kyle Preston, 22. James O'Connor, 23. Dallas McLeod
Blues:
1. Joshua Fusitu'a, 2. Ricky Riccitelli, 3. Marcel Renata, 4. Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 5. Laghlan McWhannell, 6. Adrian Choat, 7. Dalton Papali'i, 8. Hoskins Sotutu, 9. Finlay Christie, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. AJ Lam, 13. Rieko Ioane, 14. Mark Tele'a, 15. Zarn Sullivan
Bench: 16. Kurt Eklund, 17. Jordan Lay, 18. Angus Ta'avao, 19. Josh Beehre, 20. Anton Segner, 21. Sam Nock, 22. Harry Plummer, 23. Cole Forbes
Zarn Sullivan of the Blues.
Photo:
Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Chiefs v Brumbies
Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 14 June
FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
Live blog updates on RNZ
Chiefs:
1. Ollie Norris, 2. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 3. George Dyer, 4. Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 5. Tupou Vaa'i, 6. Samipeni Finau, 7. Luke Jacobson, 8. Wallace Sititi, 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Leroy Carter, 12. Quinn Tupaea, 13. Daniel Rona, 14. Emoni Narawa, 15. Shaun Stevenson
Bench: 16. Brodie McAlister, 17. Jared Proffit, 18. Reuben O'Neill, 19. Jimmy Tupou, 20. Kaylum Boshier, 21. Xavier Roe, 22. Josh Jacomb, 23. Gideon Wrampling
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
34 minutes ago
- RNZ News
Golf NZ rejects council plan to halve Takapuna course for use as flood catchment
The 10th tee at the Takapuna Golf Course. Photo: Davina Zimmer Golf NZ says converting half of a prominent Auckland golf course into a stormwater reservoir would be a missed opportunity. Auckland Council was in the early stages of comparing two plans to incorporate a flood catchment into the Takapuna Golf Course, including its proposal to convert half of the course into a flood catchment and recreational area. The council's proposal was to use the land to capture about 550,000 litres of water during a storm, reducing the flood risk to 10 hectares of homes, nearby schools and North Shore Hospital. Council was working with Takapuna Golf Club to assess the feasibility of an alternative proposal for flood catchment that would retain the 18-hole golf course. The Wairau catchment was one of the most severely flooded areas during the 2023 Auckland Anniversary floods and two lives were lost in the area. More than 100 homes in the nearby suburb Milford have so far been condemned due to the flooding as part of the council's buy-out scheme - the most of any suburb in Auckland. Golf NZ chief executive Jeff Latch was not in favour of converting half of the golf course into a stormwater reservoir. Golf NZ chief executive Jeff Latch does not want half of Takapuna Golf Course to be converted into a stormwater reservoir. Photo: Supplied "Golf in New Zealand is on an absolute high, the growth that's taken place in terms of golf club membership has been 50 percent in the last five years. "If you think about that for a mature sport like golf, that is just colossal growth," he said. "Auckland's got a real issue, there's this massive growth in demand and people wanting to play golf but we don't have enough golf courses and so public golf courses like Takapuna are absolutely critical to enable golfers to actually go out and have a hit." Latch said Golf NZ was backing an alternative proposal to keep all of the course's 18 holes but use some of the land for dry-basin flood management. "We absolutely need a solution here that enables the golf course to stay and for the flood protection issue to be addressed, and we believe there is a solution that does both of those things. "By redesigning the existing course there's the opportunity to preserve Takapuna as an 18-hole golf course while also providing the area required for flood protection." He said cutting the course in half would be wasting a valuable asset. "From a golfing perspective [it would be] incredibly detrimental to enabling people in Auckland to play the game they love. "As the population of Auckland continues to grow, land is obviously at a real premium and particularly land for recreational facilities. So green spaces like the Takapuna Golf Course are absolutely critical for the future." "I think as a green space in Auckland where we're really pushed for land it's critical that it's maintained." Harbour Sport chief executive Mike Bishop agreed the North Shore needed more golf facilities, not fewer. "This is a public course with reasonable fees that anyone can book. During weekends and evenings, you'll see people walking the course just for exercise, it's a public asset with significant community value and we cannot lose it. "During Covid this space was a lifeline for physical activity. It's a green area used by thousands every month." Council was still considering the feasibility of the two options and construction on any approved plan for the flood catchment at the golf course was not expected to begin until 2027. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
Five debutants and some noteable omissions in All Blacks squad
Coach Scott Robertson has sprung a few surprises in the first All Blacks squad of the year, with five debutants and some notable omissions. The 33-man squad to play France in next month's three-test series was named this afternoon at the Coastal Rugby Club in South Taranaki. Rugby reporter Joe Porter was there Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Celebrations continue after Crusaders win
The celebrations are continuing in red and black country following the Crusaders Super Rugby triumph at the weekend. Crowds are gathering in central Christchurch this afternoon to catch a glimpse of the players with the Super Rugby trophy, back in their hands after a forgettable 2024 season. Reporter Adam Burns spoke to Lisa Owen. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
