Editor
The first Super Rugby game of Round 10 will be headed by championship front runners the Chiefs, who play host to the Sharks at Yarrow Stadium. Catch all the highlights and action from 5:35pm (AEST) on The Roar
The Chiefs snuck home last week in a one-point thriller against the Hurricanes, notching up their sixth win on the trot and maintaining their slim lead over the ever-present Crusaders in the standings.
Similarly, the Sharks managed to hold on by a single point last week, edging out last year’s champions, the Highlanders.
Despite their confidence-building win, the Sharks had actually gone five weeks without a W next to their name beforehand, suffering three losses, a draw and the bye to sit precariously on the wrong side of the finals equation.
In team news, both sides have been hit with injuries and will make 11 changes between them.
Chiefs coach Dave Rennie has announced four alterations to his forward pack for this week, with injuries to Atu Moli, Michael Allardice and Tom Sanders.
Hiroshi Yamashita (tighthead), Dominic Bird (lock) and Taleni Seu (blindside flanker) will all get run-on starts.
The other two changes for the home side sees Hika Elliot slot in at hooker, and Anton Lienert-Brown returning from injury at inside centre, in place of Rhys Marshall and Andrew Howell, respectively.
For the Sharks, ‘The Beast’, skipper Tendai Mtawarira, has been rested for the fixture in a completely revamped front row from last week’s victory.
Dale Chadwick, Kyle Cooper and Lourens Adriaanse will pack down in the new front row for this week, pushing aside Mtawarira (rested), Coenie Oosthuizen (bench) and Franco Marais (dropped).
Daniel du Preez is the other change to the forward pack, in at Number 8 after a neck injury to Philip van der Walt.
Coach Gary Gold has also made a couple of adjustments to his back line, with the return of outside centre Paul Jordaan pushing JP Pietersen out to the right wing. Michael Claassens will start at halfback, with Cobus Reinach missing in action from a knee injury.
Prediction
The Sharks are depleted with injuries and a rested captain, and are facing the form side of Super Rugby.
Don’t expect a blowout, but a fairly comfortable Chiefs win should be on the cards.
Chiefs to win by 19.
Can the Sharks get a big win away from home to get the second half of their season kickstarted, or will the relentless Chiefs extend their winning streak and lead atop the table? Follow all the thrills and spills of Super Rugby action from 5:35pm (AEST) on The Roar.