Tyler Ardron will start at his preferred No8 position for the Chiefs when they play the Blues on Saturday. The Canadian international has split his time between the back row and second row this season but has proved an integral part of the starting lineup, missing only one game due to injury.
The Chiefs have struggled with injuries elsewhere this season which have contributed to their low position on the New Zealand conference. They are currently two points above the Blues having won four games and drawn two out of a dozen games.
They will get a significant boost on Saturday with All Blacks talisman Sam Cane returning to the match day squad on the bench. The 27-year-old flanker fractured his neck while playing for New Zealand against South Africa in October and has been sidelined since.
Saturday’s match kicks off at Auckland’s Eden Park at 7:35pm local time, 3:35am Eastern. A live stream will be available in Canada on TSN Go.
CHIEFS vs Blues
1 Atu Moli, 2 Nathan Harris, 3 Angus Ta’avao, 4 Jesse Parete, 5 Mitchell Brown, 6 Pita Gus Sowakula, 7 Mitchell Karpik, 8 Tyler Ardron, 9 Brad Weber (capt.), 10 Marty McKenzie, 11 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 13 Tumua Manu, 14 Sean Wainui, 15 Solomon Alaimalo
Replacements: 16 Liam Polwart, 17 Aidan Ross, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Mitchell Jacobson, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22 Shaun Stevenson, 23 Alex Nankivell