The Chiefs have suffered a serious blow to their Super Rugby aspirations, with captain Mils Muliaina ruled out of rugby for a month after picking up a back injury against the Melbourne Rebels.
After a poor start, which saw them gain no log points from two games, the Chiefs finally got their campaign on track at home this weekend, but the loss of their most experienced player will set them back for sure. They continue with a tough away derby against the similarly struggling Hurricanes this weekend and will need to be at their best against the marauding Sharks the week later.
Muliaina’s injury came after a hard tackle from a Rebels player with South African links – Jarrod Saffy, who was born in the republic.
tim nanai-williams to shred the guppies
Agreed 100%. Nanai-Williams is going to turn heads!!!
Yeah just like Toeva and Ranger took our defense apart.
Shame I feel for the Rebels. They are playing at home on Friday but they come from NZ after playing the chiefs there. So they will fly further than we will this week. Sharks really have a favourable away tour in getting the away games out of the way in 4 weeks. 2 weeks in Australia and 2 in NZ
@Megatron (Comment 1) : So there’s a new love in your life?
I dig the title Rob!
@Ben (Comment 4) : except that they only flew to NZ on Friday and haven’t been sleeping in hotels for 2 weeks.
@Ben (Comment 4) : all our teams have only 2NZ and 2AUS games.
@wpw (Comment 6) :
You must be happy with Sundays result ..now if only Arsenal can pick up a win to haul them in.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 8) : Compared to the Rebels I mean who have to fly to NZ for an away game and then fly back for an home game. We play our away games one shot and get it over with. We don’t fly “heen en weer”. And I do know how the super 15 works thank you, I know all our teams play 2 NZ and 2 Aus teams.
@CapeShark (Comment 5) :
Its his mantra when it come to a NZ side and the Sharks. He knows it will happen some time or other, my wish is that when it does happen his cousin/nephew is in the team and that he is the main culprit of it happening.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 8) : 2 Aus teams and 2 NZ teams at home and 2 Aus teams and 2 NZ teams away. Just before you try and correct me on that as well.
@Ben (Comment 10) : Okay. my Fault. I wasn’t clear in my answer. Nobody travels backwards and forwards on tour. We all play 2 consecutive games in each country. One of the benifits of the new format.
Flying from Aus to NZ is comparable to flying to CT from JHB or SA an hour or two longer but no jet lag and only 1 maybe 2 nights in a hotel.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 13) : Okay thanks KSA now you corrected me. I thought the flight from NZ too Aus was longer. Thought like 10 hours at least. Haha okay then it isn’t that bad for the Rebels.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 13) : I get your point now, basicly the Aus and NZ teams have a huge advantage as their SA games are the only games they have to travel far for, and that’s only for 2 games in SA.
@Ben (Comment 15) : To the extent that some of them don’t even stay in NZ if they have back to back games in NZ. Prefering to fly home during the week.
@Ben (Comment 15) : Ben it gets worse.
Distance Perth to Melbourne : 2730km
Distance Hamilton to Melbourne : 2660km
Damn!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 16) : Yes I understand. Sorry I was mistaken.
@beet (Comment 17) : Unbelievable. Just got a nice geographical lesson.
@beet (Comment 17) : How far is the flight from Melbourbe to Joburg for instance?
@beet (Comment 17) :
frikken Aussies!!!!
Fortunately we are jumping from the West coast of Aus to the East and then Further East to NZ. So no “heen and weer from that point of view.
@Ben (Comment 20) : 10363km
Here’s where I got it from: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/distance.html
@KSA Shark © (Comment 21) : If you could find how far our hotel is from the Melbourne ground then perhaps we could all sleep a bit better knowing that at least on the match day the Sharks will have a shorter distance to travel than the avg Rebel player.
@beet (Comment 23) :