Two All Blacks back for Chiefs v Highlanders

The Gallagher Chiefs recently re-signed All Blacks, Leroy Carter and Simon Parker, have been named for Saturday’s Super Rugby Pacific match against the Highlanders in Dunedin.
The pair announced earlier this month they have signed through to the end of 2028 after both enjoyed break-out seasons with the Gallagher Chiefs last year that saw them make their test debuts.

Carter will start on the left wing in the only change to the starting XV by head coach Jono Gibbes, with Parker on the bench.

Another with All Blacks experience, three-test halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, is also on the bench. Last week’s match winning try-scorer Cortez Ratima is not travelling to Dunedin because of the impending birth of his second child.

Emoni Narawa will play his 50th Gallagher Chiefs Super Rugby game from the bench. It will be his first competition match since he punctured his lung playing for the All Blacks against South Africa, in the win at Eden Park last year.  It’s fitting he will play the milestone game against the Highlanders as he made his Gallagher Chiefs debut against them in 2022, after two years and seven games with the Blues.

“These local derbies are brutal. There is no inch given and it will go up another notch against the Highlanders who are coming off an equally tough win against the defending champions.” Jono Gibbes.

Gibbes paid tribute to Narawa’s talent, saying it was terrific being able to tweak selections and bring in influential players of his quality.

“Our selection is based on the guys who got the job done against the Blues with a few tweaks, with some really influential guys coming into the mix,” Gibbes said.

The Gallagher Chiefs head to Dunedin with a tough first-round win against the Blues behind them, a match Gibbes says was a good reminder of the intensity of Super Rugby

“These local derbies are brutal. There is no inch given and it will go up another notch against the Highlanders who are coming off an equally tough win against the defending champions.”