Grand final weekend this week between the Chiefs and the Crusaders.
Firstly, apologies to all the G&GR faithful from everyone here. We’ve had some hosting and general issues with the site’s back end which has caused quite some disruption this week. In unrelated news the Prime Minister has revealed an unexplained uptick in GDP so far this week; cause or causation?
Rest assured the powers that be have addressed them and we’re back on track. The Wallabies squad is expected to be announced today and the first BIL game is on Friday in Dublin against the Argentinians.
Super Rugby grand final
Two great teams and the best referee in the comp this year, it should be a cracker.
The Crusaders are 31 and 0 in finals at home. That record is a discussion for another day but, the facts are the Crusaders have the best finals record of any professional team in any code on the planet.
It’s the third final in a row for the Chiefs and they have yet to get over the line. I’m going to pick the Crusaders to win it mostly because it’s in Christchurch. I actually think the Chiefs beating the Saders twice this year will be a problem for them as the Crusaders will have a game plan all mapped out. The Chiefs will try and accumulate points with a hope to opening up the game once they get a lead. I cannot see the Crusaders allowing this to happen.
CRUSADERS (1-15): Tamaiti Williams, Codie Taylor, Fletcher Newell, Scott Barrett, Antonio Shalfoon, Ethan Blackadder, Tom Christie, Christian Lio-Willie, Noah Hotham, Rivez Reihana, Macca Springer, David Havili (c), Braydon Ennor, Sevu Reece, Will Jordan
Replacements: George Bell, George Bower, Seb Calder, Jamie Hannah, Cullen Grace, Kyle Preston, James O’Connor, Dallas McLeod
CHIEFS (1-15): Ollie Norris, Samisoni Taukei’aho, George Dyer, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Tupou Vaa’i, Samipeni Finau, Luke Jacobson (c), Wallace Sititi, Cortez Ratima, Damian McKenzie, Leroy Carter, Quinn Tupaea, Daniel Rona, Emoni Narawa, Shaun Stevenson
Replacements: Brodie McAlister, Aidan Ross, Reuben O’Neill, Jimmy Tupou, Kalyum Boshier, Xavier Roe, Josh Jacomb, Etene Nanai-Seturo
Referee: Angus Gardner Assistant Referee: Damon Murphy, Matt Kellahan TMO: Brett Cronan
Injuries
Chiefs
- Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (shoulder/TBC)
- Josh Lord (concussion/TBC)
- Liam Coombes-Fabling (hamstring/short-term)
- Anton Lienert-Brown (collarbone/short-term)
- Malachi Wrampling (hamstring/mid-term)
- Simon Parker (ankle/mid-term)
- Sione Ahio (ankle/long-term)
- Rameka Poihipi (knee/season)
Crusaders
- Chay Fihaki (concussion/TBC)
- Finlay Brewis (shoulder/season)
- Taha Kemara (knee/season)
- Dom Gardiner (foot/season)
Eliminated Teams
Brumbies
Record 9 wins 5 losses
Season high – semi-final win against the Canes
Season low – probably the losses to the Tahs and Blues which cost them a home semi-final.
Sliding doors moment – knock on/not knock on v the Saders.
Blues
Record 6 wins 8 losses
Season high – win in the qualifying final v the Chiefs
Season low – I’m going with the loss against the Reds in Brisbane
The Blues were the undertaker in WWE, They just could not be killed until another undead took them on.
Coolest Story of the Week
Homegrown prop Hoskins joins Force on loan for ‘full circle’ finale
This is something that happens in American sport all of the time. A player who starts at a club signs a one day contract so that he can retire at the club he started at. To see this happen makes me like the Force even more.
The 32-year-old Perth-born tighthead prop is in line for a memorable finale to his career in his home town with his original club having recently announced his retirement from rugby at the end of this season. Hoskins’ English Premiership rugby club, Saracens, have permitted him to join the Force before his contract officially lapses for the one-off game on Saturday, 28 June. The former Scotch College student started his rugby career with the Force and has notched up almost 200 provincial caps along with one Wallabies cap in 2021. He played 26 games for the Force between 2014 and 2016.
Making Hoskins’ finale even more special is his family’s link to the Force, with his mother Jennifer and friend Irma Cooper organising the 2004 public rally at Subiaco Oval where 5,000 fans spelled out “Super 14 For Perth” before the city earned a franchise ahead of Melbourne.
Hoskins’ career commenced at the Force at youth level in 2012, before graduating through the academy ranks to make his debut at Super Rugby level in 2014. He moved to England to join London Irish in mid-2016, spending seven years at the club, notching up more than 150 caps and winning their 2018-19 Supporters Player of the Season before his most-recent two-year stint with Saracens.
Force head coach Simon Cron explained Hoskins was a key addition for the game, with the position the side are in with injuries and positional depth. Cron said “Ollie brings a wealth of experience and is such an open and positive person. He’ll help mentor the younger tightheads as well as add important big-game experience to the front row. It is no secret that we lost two props before the season started and then a number of our lads carried injuries throughout. The Wallabies coaches also requested to see Tom Robertson at loosehead, so therefore we needed a tighthead, and Ollie was a natural target given his experience and background. He’s had a really good career, starting out here at the Force coming through the Club’s Academy into Super Rugby ranks, so this is a great story for WA rugby and for him personally.”
Hoskins was thrilled about the unique opportunity, calling it a “full circle moment”. “It’s such a poetic way to round it all it up,” he said. “It just seems full circle to be able to come home and hopefully play my last game in front of my home crowd with my family there. I’m chomping at the bit, I can’t wait. A couple of weeks ago, when the Force got in touch with my agent, I was dumb founded. It was the quickest yes of all time.”
Australian squad announcement
Forwards (20)
Allan Alaalatoa (#896, West Harbour Juniors, ACT Brumbies, 80)
Angus Bell (#940, Hunters Hill Rugby Club, NSW Waratahs, 35)
Nick Champion De Crespigny (uncapped, Canberra Grammar School, Western Force, 0)*
Matt Faessler (#969, USQ Saints, Queensland Reds, 14)
Nick Frost (#953, Hornsby Lions, ACT Brumbies, 25)
Langi Gleeson (#960, Harbord Harlequins, NSW Waratahs, 14)
Tom Hooper (#964, Bathurst Bulldogs, ACT Brumbies, 10)
Fraser McReight (#937, Albany Creek Brumbies, Queensland Reds, 25)
Zane Nonggorr (#966, Gold Coast Eagles, Queensland Reds, 10)
Billy Pollard (#958, Lindfield Junior Rugby Club, 6)
David Porecki (#952, Seaforth Raiders, NSW Waratahs, 19)
Tom Robertson (#898, Dubbo Kangaroos, Western Force, 31)*
Will Skelton (#883, Wentworthville Magpies, 32)
James Slipper (#843, Bond Pirates, ACT Brumbies, 143)
Darcy Swain (#941, JCU Mariners, Western Force, 17)*
Carlo Tizzano (#982, University of Western Australia, Western Force 5)
Taniela Tupou (#917, Brothers Rugby (Brisbane), NSW Waratahs, 58)
Rob Valetini (#929, Harlequin Junior Rugby Club, ACT Brumbies, 52)
Jeremy Williams (#973, Wahroonga Tigers, Western Force, 10)
Harry Wilson (#933, Gunnedah Red Devils, Queensland Reds, 22)
Backs (16)
Filipo Daugunu (#931, Wests Rugby Club (Brisbane), Queensland Reds, 11)
Ben Donaldson (#962, Clovelly Eagles, Western Force, 16)
Jake Gordon (#925, Canterbury Juniors, NSW Waratahs, 29)
Len Ikitau (#944, Tuggeranong Vikings, ACT Brumbies, 39)
Max Jorgensen (#984, Balmain Wolves, NSW Waratahs, 7)
Andrew Kellaway (#943, Hunters Hill Rugby Club, NSW Waratahs, 39)
Noah Lolesio (#934, Tuggeranong Vikings, ACT Brumbies, 29)
Tom Lynagh (#977, University of Queensland, Queensland Reds, 3)
Tate McDermott (#936, Flinders Rugby Club, Queensland Reds, 41)
Hunter Paisami (#932, Harlequin Junior Rugby Club, Queensland Reds, 31)
Dylan Pietsch (#978, Leeton Phantoms, Western Force, 5)*
Harry Potter (#989, Moorabbin Rams, Western Force, 2)
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (#988, The King’s School, NSW Waratahs, 4)
Corey Toole (uncapped, Wagga Waratahs, ACT Brumbies, 0)
Nic White (#875, Maitland Blacks, Western Force, 71)*
Tom Wright (#939, Clovelly Eagles, ACT Brumbies, 37)
*indicates player will remain in Perth to prepare for the Western Force fixture against the British & Irish Lions on Saturday June 28 before joining the squad in Newcastle.
Hoss back tomorrow
