Home Crowd Advantage For Gallagher Chiefs v Hurricanes
FMG Stadium Waikato will prove a fortress for the Hurricanes this Friday as Gallagher Chiefs fans swarm the venue with over 80% of tickets sold already.
The home crowd has been an advantage for the Gallagher Chiefs with them yet to lose on their turf this season. It is especially formidable for the Hurricanes who have been unable to tip the home side in Hamilton since 2020.
Gallagher Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan said: “The team can’t wait to play at home in front of our passionate support base. We know there will be a lot of interest in the game given the Hurricanes success this year, and I’m sure those who get along will be treated to an epic battle.
“There are some excellent individual matchups, and we were collectively beaten to the punch in our first encounter. You want to be playing your best in these derby fixtures and at the business end of the season, so there will be no lack of motivation from either side.”
With only two regular season games remaining, McMillan is cementing combinations with no changes made to the starting lineup from the previous round.
“We have selected a largely unchanged side from our game against the Rebels. Although we made progress in a couple of areas, we were largely underwhelmed by our own performance and continuity of selection gives an opportunity for those involved to make the necessary shifts required,” said McMillan.
Changes on the bench see the return of talented hooker Tyrone Thompson, exciting rookie Sione Ahio at prop and the experienced Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi as the reserve halfback.
The blockbuster game will kick off at 7.05pm this Friday with Thames Valley and King Country opening the evening as a curtain-raiser match. Fans can secure their seats at chiefs.flicket.co.nz.
Gallagher Chiefs team to face the Hurricanes:
1. Aidan Ross
2. Samisoni Taukei’aho
3. George Dyer
4. Manaaki Selby-Rickit
5. Tupou Vaa’i
6. Simon Parker
7. Kaylum Boshier
8. Luke Jacobson (captain)
9. Cortez Ratima
10. Damian McKenzie
11. Etene Nanai-Seturo
12. Quinn Tupaea
13. Anton Lienert-Brown
14. Emoni Narawa
15. Shaun Stevenson
Reserves:
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
Unavailable for selection: Kaleb Trask, Ollie Norris, Samipeni Finau, Josh Lord, Malachi Wrampling, Gideon Wrampling, and Reuben O’Neill.
All media enquiries to [email protected]
