Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final Teams 2024 – Rugby redefined

2024 Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final Teams
The Blues and Chiefs have confirmed their sides for the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific Final.

The hosts have been given a major boost with the return of captain and All Black Patrick Tuipulotu in Saturday’s decider.

Tuipulotu has made a timely recovery from an MCL injury suffered during the quarter-final win over Fijian Drua.

It was originally rumored that the injury would keep him out until the start of the Test season.

However, the Blues have named their captain to return in place of Josh Beehre in the second row.

“Patty is a Blues man through and through and came to us this week with great enthusiasm to play in a grand final,” said coach Vern Cotter.

“He tested the knee in the gym on Monday and on the grass yesterday. He is well established and has received the approval of our medical team – he is a welcome addition to our pack, our talismanic lock and leader.”

Meanwhile, Chiefs are counting the cost of a physical semi-final after losing All Blacks hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho.

Taukei’aho suffered a leg injury during the win over the Hurricanes and came off after the 20th minute.

Tyrone Thompson has been brought in for his first start of 2024, with Bradley Slater coming off the bench.

Slater also came off a late blow, with Thompson last starting for the Chiefs in Round 15 of 2023 against the Western Force.

The visitors were boosted by the return of full-back Shaun Stevenson, who withdrew late due to a hamstring injury.

Coach Clayton McMillan has made one change to the bench, with Manaaki Selby-Rickit taking the place of Naitoa Ah Kuoi.

Saturday 22 June: Blues v Chiefs at Eden Park, Auckland (7:05pm NZT/5:05pm AEST)

BLUE (1-15): Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Ricky Riccitelli, Marcel Renata, Patrick Tuipulotu (c), Sam Darry, Akira Ioane, Dalton Papali’i, Hoskins Sotutu, Finlay Christie, Harry Plummer, Caleb Clarke, AJ Lam, Rieko Ioane, Mark Tele’a , Stephen Perofeta

RESERVES: Kurt Eklund, Joshua Fusitu’a, Angus Ta’avao, Josh Beehre, Adrian Choat, Taufa Funaki, Bryce Heem, Cole Forbes

SELECT (1-15): Aidan Ross, Tyrone Thompson, George Dyer, Jimmy Tupou, Tupou Vaa’i, Samipeni Finau, Luke Jacobson (c), Wallace Sititi, Cortez Ratima, Damian McKenzie, Etene Nanai Seturo, Rameka Poihipi, Anton Lienert-Brown, Emoni Narawa, Shaun Stevenson

RESERVES: Bradley Slater, Jared Proffit, Reuben O’Neill, Manaaki Selby-Rickit, Simon Parker, Xavier Roe, Quinn Tupaea, Daniel Rona

Referee: Nic Berry

Assistant referees: Jordan Way, Damon

Murphy

| CONTEST FACTS |

• The Blues have won seven of their last ten matches in Super Rugby competitions against the Chiefs (L3), including a 31-17 victory when they last met in Super Rugby Pacific earlier this season (June 1, 2024); the Blues have won their last four meetings against the Chiefs at Eden Park by an average margin of 10 points per game.

• This will be the first final between the Blues and Chiefs in Super Rugby history and the first time they have met at any time during a finals series; the Blues lost their most recent final against a New Zealand team (7-21 v Crusaders – Super Rugby Pacific 2022) and went on a two-match winning run in such matches, while the Chiefs lost each of their two instances (20-25 v Crusaders – Super Rugby Pacific 2023 and 13-24 v Crusaders – Super Rugby Aotearoa 2021).

• This will be the Blues’ seventh Super Rugby Final (all competitions), the third highest of any team in Super Rugby history (Crusaders – 17 and ACT Brumbies – 8); the Blues have won four of their previous six games (L2) – the second most of any team (Crusaders – W13).

• This will be the Chiefs’ sixth Super Rugby Final (all competitions); they have lost each of the last two times they reached the finals (20-25 v Crusaders – Super Rugby Pacific 2023 and 13-24 v Crusaders – Super Rugby Aotearoa 2021) after winning consecutive finals prior to that period (27- 22 against ACT Brumbies – Super Rugby 2013 and 37-6 against Sharks – Super Rugby 2012).

• The Blues have made dominant contact with 48.5 carries per match in the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any team in the competition; Additionally, the Blues’ 535.5 yards gained per game is the second highest of any team in the campaign (Hurricanes – 539.9 per game).

• The Chiefs have conceded 11.6 turnovers per match in the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season, the fewest of any team in the competition; Furthermore, they have gained 855 meters per match from their kicking throughout the game, more than any other team in the campaign.

• Hoskins Sotutu (Blues) has made 20 offloads in the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any forward and the second most of any player overall (Sevu Reece – 22 for Crusaders); three of those offloads have resulted in tries for the Blues – the joint most of any player in the campaign (also Sevu Reece – 3 for Crusaders and Cole Forbes – 3 for Blues).

• Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) has made 17 break passes in the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season, more than any other player in the competition; furthermore, he has recorded 4,952 meters of distance during the game – the second highest of any player in the campaign (Ben Donaldson – 5,412 for Western Force).

• Caleb Clarke (Blues) has been directly involved in five tries in his last four Super Rugby Pacific matches (4 tries, 1 try assist), including three tries in his last two matches; he scored two tries in his last three league games against the Chiefs.

• Cortez Ratima (Chiefs) has been directly involved in 15 tries in his last 14 Super Rugby Pacific matches (9 tries, 6 try assists), including a try against the Hurricanes in the semi-final last time out; although he did not register a direct try involvement for 105 career minutes in the competition against the Blues.

Related