In a stirring semi-final win, the Chiefs confronted loads of adversity within the type of accidents and yellow playing cards, and whereas it didn’t cease the staff from claiming a uncommon playoff win away from dwelling, it’s a trigger for concern shifting ahead.
Each of the Chiefs’ All Blacks free forwards Samipeni Finau and Luke Jacobson hung out on the sideline for separate incidents, whereas 4 different Chiefs left the sector injured, together with each hookers; Samisoni Taukei’aho and Bradley Slater.
These two accidents resulted in ‘golden-oldies’ scrums and midfielder Rameka Poihipi taking the lineout throws. Poihipi additionally acted because the eighth free ahead on the facet of the scrum.
Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan after the game said the All Blacks hooker’s injury is a huge blow.
“It looks like it’s going to be pretty serious, which is unfortunate, not just for us, but for him and probably his All Blacks prospects for the immediate future,” said McMillan.
Slater’s injury adds salt to that wound as his status for the final remains unconfirmed. Tyrone Thompson, an All Blacks XV hooker, is next in line and could be called upon to start the final after seeing limited minutes this season.
“Brad Slater came on, got a knee injury and needed an HIA,” McMillan added. “He was in the wars, but he managed to soldier on, until he got made to go off, and we finished with a halfback or a second-five throwing the ball in, so there was a fair bit of collateral damage out of this game.”
The other injury concerns are for All Black-in-waiting Cortez Ratima, who finished another strong shift hobbling from scrum to scrum, and Naitoa Ah Kuoi, who left the field 20 minutes after appearing off the bench.
The extent of the injury woes will be confirmed this week and will dictate the strength of the matchday squad named for the final.
Luke Jacobson was confident whoever takes the field in the final will be fit and firing, expressing nothing but confidence in the reinforcements on hand.
“I don’t know how our team sheet is going to look next week but that doesn’t matter. We’ve got another week and we’ll deal with that,” Jacobson explained.
“We’ve got plenty of people back home ready to go. We’ve got a full squad, there’s only 23 of us here but we’ve got more back at home.
“Really excited to get stuck into it, go up to Eden Park and into the Blues.”
