HS Top 200’s Pre Season Chiefs Team

The Chiefs Region has some problems and it’s more guided towards such great players last year that comparing to it this year there is just a real different look and style to it. I have looked into the players that are available that I know of and have a 2-3 Year running Player Profile on them and selected the best players I think in this Region. I looked into a lot of the players that are in the smaller 1st XV’s and also Area school’s as well so I think I have a pretty good mix of players in here and so this is it

The Chiefs Region have a good set of Props in this Region and if they were to all play as a Propping unit that would be a very very hard unit to stop. They have some heavy set dudes that know how to Prop and know how to throw their weight around the field. I dont think it’s to hard to see why someone like Pou Sorenson is one of the best Props in NZ and even over the Summer spending some time with the Chiefs U20 you know he’s only getting better. Pou just has that Prop attitude, that mentality of dominating at scrums and break downs, doing his job supporting runners as they are tackled and being the first to clean out he really just gets into it. Corrigan Millar from New Plymouth BHS is another player to see because he has all the physical attributes and measurements that you want in an up and coming Prop. I think this year he’ll add to his progress and show how well he can scrum and complete his role. He plays a lot in the tight cleaning out, taking those all important small runs around then rucks edge. Keelan Holten-McMullen had a some what surprising year last year because I knew he was good and what he could but, Keelan played himself into the starting position and was a force in that Top 4. Tevita is a beast and I really hope he has worked over the summer on his body cutting out some of the Fat and also got fitter because if he has done that, he will not only be better then the Prop’s on this team but also a Top 4 Prop in the country.

The Chiefs had two hugely talented Hookers that were NZSS and Barbarian Reps and so we have two other guys that are new to the level but still very talented. Niclos Jeffcoat and Tamati Tupea both have had some really good past years making local rep teams and really putting in the work needed for this years comps. Both have good size and work rates around the park and so they are going to really have to put in that work to show what they can do at a higher level. I have as my Locks some real tall players that fit that international selection of what they look for when they select for this position. I have Alexander and Mahonri both from St Kentigerns College but are from the Chiefs Region. Alex I see as a player that is reaching for that NZSS Jersey and its in his eye sight. He plays at a very high level with a lot of physical back and forth and dosen’t shy from the real physical stuff. Alex is very valuable at line out time and does make things difficult for the other team. It’s really hard to see anyone come close to what these two can do at line out time, Mahonri a bigger dude who is not as fast but physically stronger and with both guys in a line out, all I say is good luck when it’s your turn to throw in because both work hard in the air. Mahonri’s defence around the rucks is very important because he needs to put that body in there and really be a force for runners to avoid running into.

I have Tuki Simpkins in as a Lock/Blind cover because I feel like he’s going to be another Nelson Asofa-Solomona and grow to be this 6’8 mobile player that just dominates over the next 2 years. He will also fill that role of Blind Side because he can keep up with the play but also make the tackles needed. Tom Martin is who I would have as a Blind Side because he would be to short for a Nationally Ranked Lock but at Blind Side he would be perfect. His height and physicality around the field makes him a great fit, he stops runners on defence and stops momentum and can also hit the line as a runner and help in the line outs as well. I saw Taituha Woller at the U18 Chiefs Camp last year and could see what he brings to the team being that of his quickness and speed and because of his huge work rate on defence. What he lacked last year was experience being around a lot of good players all selected because they know how to complete their role at a quicker pace. Taituha will come back into camp and be ready to get into it right away and show the selectors his worth on defence and that his ruck game is strong. I like Andrew Viane at No.8 because he is a massive offencive talent that can get you the meters getting up the field and constantly having the defence looking for where you are lining up and that is what you want because that catches defences off guard and mistakes happen. I would have Malupo Ma’afu to cover all 3 positions because that is his talent range being able to cover all 3. He is strong and physical enough to make the tackles, clear the ruck, run the ball making gain and being ahead of the play to quickly get over the ball and force the turnovers.

The best thing these two young Half Back have is the talent of a 1st 5/8 that knows what he wants and how to get it done and that goes a long way when your new to the level. Blair Murray and Blue Tutuila are young players but do have a lot of talent and play with speed. Blair has a lot of speed off the spot and even though he can play 1st 5/8 I think that Half Back might be the way to go right now. He has a very nice tidy pass and is a very talented play maker. Blue is also the same to where he can control tempo and change the flow when needed with a break down field. Rivez Reihana is maybe the best player in the country and it’s not hard to see when you have seen him once, he just has that “IT” factor times 10. So enough about him because this wont be the last time we’ll hear about him and I want to direct attention to a player that I think has been very over looked and he can play 1st 5/8, 2nd 5/8, Center and Fullback but because Bailey Gordon doesn’t go to a big time Rugby School he doesnt get a lot of eyes on him. I think this year is going to be his year to show up and prove that he is the “Forgotten One” and he can do as good as any other 1st 5/8 in the country. He is a big kid with strength and foot work, he has a good passing game and kicking game that he does put into work to  keep the defence guessing. Bailey is one to watch and keep an eye out for their games.

I dont think this is much of announcement but Paula Mahe and Lukas Halls will be the Chiefs best midfielders and they can hang with the best in the country too. Both of them together is just to much FIRE. Paula’s crash ball game looks like it hurts and so even if you tackle him once you know there is going to be 15 more after that and we’ll see how you feel after the 7th time of trying to tackle him. Lukas is also another guy that you have to try and tackle and try and stop and put down both not easy things to actually do. Lukas will get a good base to attack because Paula would set that up and so he could have options of playing the passing game or the physical in your face play as well. Lukas has a very good passing game and can set the wingers and Fullback up with his skill set. When you have a guy like Lukas at Center that makes Selesitino even more dangerous to stop with the way he runs his lines. Tino is the Fullback I picked because of his ability to find gaps find holes at speed and then break the line. Having Wingers like Valynce who is just huge and also Jahmal who is such a hard player to catch and bring down this back line will be one of the best in the country. Shi Jie  Yong is on the bench cause he can fill all those positions without the value on the field falling. His talent and strength on the run that he brings will be something I want to see all this year grow to where he is a target for teams.

1.   Poukohe Sorenson-Tawhara (Rotorua BHS)
2.   Tamati Tupea (New Plymouth BHS)
3.   Corrigan Millar (New Plymouth BHS)
4.   Alexander McRobbie (St Kentigern College)
5.   Mahonri Ngakuru (St Kentigern College)
6.   Thomas Martin (Hamilton BHS)(VC)
7.   Taituha Woller (Te Wharekurao Mauao)
8.   Viane Andrew (St Peters School)
9.   Blair Murray (New Plymouth BHS)
10. Rivez Reihana (St Kentigern College)(C)
11. Valynce Crosby-Te Whare (St Paul’s Collegiate)
12. Tuitavuki Paula Mahe  (St Peters School)
13. Lukas Halls (Kings College)
14. Jahmal Hapi (New Plymouth BHS)
15. Selesitino Ravutaumada (Rotorua BHS)

16. Keelan Holten-McMullen (Hamilton BHS)
17. Tevita Kofeiloa (Manurewa HS)
18. Nicolas Jeffcoat (Hamilton BHS)
19. Tuki Simpkins (Rotorua BHS)
20. Malupo Ma’afu (Rotorua BHS)
21. Blue Tutuila (Wesley College)
22. Bailey Gordon (Western Heights HS)
23. Shi Jie Yong (Tauranga BC)