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Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa: Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan elects for mass changes for dead rubber Blues clash 29 Apr, 2021 04:30 AM 4 minutes to read Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu and Blues wing, midfield back Rieko Ioane on the team's 29-6 loss to the Crusaders. Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu and Blues wing, midfield back Rieko Ioane on the team's 29-6 loss to the Crusaders. Multimedia Sport Journalist Saturday night's regular season finale against the Blues is taking a back seat for the Chiefs as they keep one eye on the present and one on the approaching Super Rugby Aotearoa final. Coach ...

“I’m so excited. Especially for Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika. It's such a good addition to Pacific Island rugby as a whole. It's a starting point, I'm sure they will learn. I've heard a few players overseas trying to come back for that as well. It's going to be the start of something great,” Mataele said. Should the teams have their final business plans ticked off, and Rugby Australia’s approval, Moana Pasifika are set to be based in South Auckland, at least initially, while the Drua will be based in Suva and closely aligned to the Fiji national union.

Things have eased on the injury front for the Chiefs, who were without 10 players only a few weeks ago, although they did lose midfielder Quinn Tupaea for up to eight weeks with a knee injury last weekend. Chiefs co-captain Sam Cane ruptured a pectoral muscle against the Blues late last month and won’t feature again this year. The Blues haven’t lost any key players to season-ending injuries during the season, but did lose hooker James Parsons to concussion-enforced retirement ahead of the campaign, and it’s increasingly likely new recruit Dillon Hunt (concussion) doesn’t play this y...

Hannah Peters/Getty Images Patrick Tuipulotu and the Blues have big ambitions in 2021, but as always will have to get past the Crusaders first. Leon MacDonald gets them. A lot. You know the people, rushing up to him at the supermarket, or the café, or in the street, full of hope and excitement, proclaiming: “This is our year.” The Blues coach tends to smile and nod reassuringly. He loves the optimism as much as he treasures the support. Who is he to point out how tough that pathway is and how difficult the Crusaders are to budge from that throne.