Ardron starting for Chiefs against Brumbies

Canadian international Tyler Ardron will reprise his role as starting eightman for the Chiefs when they play the Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday. Despite his team’s narrow defeat, Ardron enjoyed a strong start to the Super Rugby season with a try-scoring performance against the Highlanders last week.

This week’s Chiefs side features several leading All Blacks including front rowers Nathan Harris and Nepo Laulala, and 2014 World Rugby Player of the Year Brodie Retallick who captains the side. Damian McKenzie forms an all-international halfback partnership with Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi and Anton Lienert-Brown is in the midfield.

The Brumbies feature a host of Wallabies with every member of the tight five a capped international. Christian Leali’ifano headlines the backs division that also has World Cup starter Tevita Kuridrani along with Joe Powell and Tom Banks. Canadian-eligible prop Les Makin is named on a strong bench.

Kickoff is set for 7:45pm local, 3:45am Eastern. Viewers in Canada can watch live on TSN.ca.

BRUMBIES
1 James Slipper, 2 Folau Fainga’a, 3 Allan Ala’alatoa, 4 Rory Arnold, 5 Sam Carter, 6 Rob Valetini, 7 Tom Cusack, 8 Locky McCaffrey, 9 Joe Powell, 10 Christian Leali’ifano (capt.), 11 Andy Muirhead, 12 Irae Simone, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 14 Chance Peni, 15 Tom Banks

Replacements: 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 Scott Sio, 18 Les Makin, 19 Blake Enever, 20 Peter Samu, 21 Matt Lucas, 22 Wharenui Hawera, 23 Tom Wright

CHIEFS
1 Aidan Ross, 2 Nathan Harris, 3 Nepo Laulala, 4 Brodie Retallick (capt.), 5 Michael Allardice, 6 Mitchell Brown, 7 Lachlan Boshier, 8 Tyler Ardron, 9 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 10 Damian McKenzie, 11 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 13 Tumua Manu, 14 Ata’ata Moeakiola, 15 Shaun Stevenson

Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Tevita Mafileo, 18 Sosefo Kautai, 19 Taleni Seu, 20 Mitchell Karpik, 21 Jonathan Taumateine, 22 Orbyn Leger, 23 Bailyn Sullivan