Bardoul locks in start

When it comes to testing yourself against the best locks in the world, they don't come much bigger than Bulls and Springbok great Victor Matfield.

That's the tall task Chiefs and Bay of Plenty's Johan Bardoul faces tonight after being handed the No.5 jersey for the Round 15 clash at Rotorua International Stadium.


Chiefs and Bay of Plenty flanker Johan Bardoul on the charge against the Crusaders this Super Rugby season. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

The 27-year-old is one of three changes to the side that fell to the Hurricanes 22-18 last weekend, as the race for playoff spots heats up.

The only other changes to the Chiefs' starting XV see Mitchell Graham return at loosehead prop and Augustine Pulu get the start at halfback ahead of Brad Weber.

Bardoul, 27, is no stranger to locking duties, having played there at both club and ITM Cup level in recent years, yet this is another step up in just his eighth Super Rugby appearance of the season.

He has made three starts at blindside flanker, and the rest off the bench.

But in Matfield he faces someone who since 2001 has amassed more than 130 Super Rugby matches for the Bulls as well as 121 Test caps for the Springboks.

Bardoul is more than likely to pair up with 36-year-old Ross Filipo who was called into the side this week after a string of injuries hit the Chiefs' locking stocks.

Filipo, 36, has been bracketed with Mike FitzGerald, who is still recovering from a badly corked thigh while All Black Brodie Retallick is still out with a shoulder injury and Matt Symons hasn't recovered from concussion.

As a result, young Waikato lock and Chiefs development player Brian Alainu'uese, 21, gets the opportunity to make his Chiefs and Investec Super Rugby debut off the bench. The 21-year-old has come through the Chiefs U18 programme and has been part of the Chiefs Development squad for the last two seasons.

The three changes see prop Pauliasi Manu and halfback Weber move to the reserves while utility back Tim Nanai-Williams returns to the match day 23.

The home side will be well aware of the physicality the Bulls will bring to this match, backed by their sizeable pack frequently using the lineout drive as to attack.

Sitting four points behind the Chiefs, the South African side will be smarting from last week's 23-18 loss to the Blues. They currently top the South African conference one point ahead of the Stormers.

The curtain raiser for the match is between Rotorua Boys High School and Wesley College in the Chiefs Cup final. Chiefs captain Liam Messam is a former Rotorua Boys High student and Augustine Pulu and Brian Alainu'uese are both proud Wesley College old boys.

Chiefs squad to face the Bulls at Rotorua International Stadium, Friday at 7.35pm:

  1. 2. Hika Elliot 3. Ben Tameifuna 4. Michael Fitzgerald/Ross Filipo 5. Johan Bardoul 6. Liam Messam © 7. Sam Cane 8. Michael Leitch 9. Augustine Pulu 10. Damian McKenzie 11. Bryce Heem 12. Anton Lienert-Brown 13. Charlie Ngatai 14. Hosea Gear 15. Tom Marshall 16. Quentin MacDonald 17. Siate Tokolahi 18. Pauliasi Manu 19. Brian Alainu'uese* 20. Maama Vaipulu 21. Brad Weber 22. Andrew Horrell 23. Tim Nanai-Williams *Chiefs debutant & Investec Super Rugby Debut

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