Chiefs tweak starting XV for Blues

Hamilton - Chiefs head coach Colin Cooper has made three changes to his starting line-up for Saturday's Super Rugby derby with the Blues in Hamilton.

Kick-off is at 09:35 SA time. 

The tight-five is again unchanged although there are some alterations in the back-row. 

Lachlan Boshier comes back in to wear the No 6 jersey while co-captain and now centurion Sam Cane stays put in the No 7 jersey and Pita Gus Sowakula crashes his way into the run-on side at No 8 after a strong debut off the bench in last week's 27-22 win over the Highlanders.

In the backline, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi gets a start at scrumhalf, with Jonathan Taumateine backing him up in the No 21 jersey. 

Cooper wants his players to be focused and to become more consistent within each game.

"We’ve shown a lot of heart which is great, but we just need to make sure that we play a bit smarter," he said. 

"The Blues will be dangerous. We need to make sure that we have our structures right, our attitude right, and play the game we know we can play. They are great ball carriers so we need to make sure that we tackle well and that our defence systems work." 

The last time the teams met was in a gruelling derby at Eden Park in Round 3. The Chiefs battled to a 27-21 victory which went right down to the wire.

Teams:

Chiefs

15 Solomon Alaimalo, 14 Toni Pulu, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Johnny Faauli, 11 Sean Wainui, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 8 Pita Gus Sowakula, 7 Sam Cane (captain), 6 Lachlan Boshier, 5 Tyler Ardron, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Angus Ta’avao, 2 Nathan Harris, 1 Aidan Ross

Substitutes: 16 Liam Polwart, 17 Karl Tu’inukuafe, 18 Jeff Thwaites, 19 Luke Jacobson, 20 Liam Messam, 21 Jonathan Taumateine, 22 Charlie Ngatai, 23 Marty McKenzie

Blues

15 Michael Collins, 14 Matt Duffie/Jordan Hyland, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 TJ Faiane, 11 George Moala, 10 Stephen Perofeta, 9 Jonathan Ruru, 8 Akira Ioane, 7 Kara Pryor, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Josh Goodhue, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 3 Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 2 James Parsons (captain), 1 Pauliasi Manu

Substitutes: 16 Matt Moulds, 17 Ross Wright, 18 Mike Tamoaieta, 19 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 20 Dalton Papali'i, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Bryn Gatland, 23 Orbyn Leger