Chiefs v Bulls: Bay of Plenty Steamers props making their mark

Bay of Plenty's Jeff Thwaites is set to make his Super Rugby debut off the bench against the Blues on Friday night. Photo / Photosport

Bay of Plenty's reputation for churning out top-class front row forwards is further enhanced with the Chiefs team named to take on the fearsome Bulls pack in Hamilton tonight.

All Blacks hooker Nathan Harris and loosehead prop Aidan Ross will start with Maori All Blacks hooker Liam Polwart and debutant tighthead prop Jeff Thwaites named on the bench.

Thwaites, 24, has made a dramatic rise up the ranks of New Zealand props since shifting from blindside flanker to the front row just a few seasons ago.

In last season's Mitre 10 Cup, he and former NZ Under-20 prop Ross were part of a Steamers pack that did not buckle to anyone. Now he is set to make the next step to Super Rugby against the notoriously tough scrummagers from South Africa's Northern Transvaal.

While wingers dream of stepping the defence and sprinting 50 metres for a try, props like Ross and Thwaites have less fancy fare on their minds. Head to head, scrum after scrum against bigger physical specimens gets their adrenalin flowing.

Chiefs assistant coach Neil Barnes, who spent seven years as forwards coach with Canada, is impressed with what they bring to the group.

"Ross has impressed us since the first day we brought him in here to be honest and he has earned his stripes. You often have a person like that who just quietly goes about his business in the background and keep on improving," Barnes said.

"I know as a coach he is the type of player you tell him something once and the next time he turns out he has got that fixed up what you coached him. I have been really impressed. He is still a young man for a prop and he is making every post a winner at the moment. We have a lot of trust in him. He will do a good job for us."

Barnes also likes the cut of Thwaites, who he sees as "a bit of an old-school forward".

"To be honest they are right across New Zealand those type of guys. He was probably on the tools a couple of weeks ago. He has been working away doing his training earlier in the morning, getting a job done in the middle part of the day and still doing rugby at the other end of the day.

"So when he got the call-up he was in good nick. They're gold, those type of people, so I am sure he will make every post a winner when he gets his chance as well."

Tiaan Falcon keeps his place at first-five for the Chiefs with Damian McKenzie staying put at fullback. Veteran Liam Messam will start at No 8 as part of a dynamic loose forward trio with captain Sam Cane and Lachlan Boshier.

"We're very confident in Tiaan, he made a good fist considering he had only 10 minutes preparation for his first hit out. It's a bit of a confidence booster for him, so I'm sure he'll go well," Barnes said.

Chiefs team to play Bulls, Waikato Stadium, 7.35pm tonight.

1. Aidan Ross, 2. Nathan Harris, 3. Angus Ta'avao, 4. Brodie Retallick, 5. Mitchell Brown, 6. Lachlan Boshier, 7. Sam Cane, 8. Liam Messam, 9. Brad Weber, 10. Tiaan Falcon, 11. Solomon Alaimalo, 12. Johnny Fa'auli, 13. Anton Lienert-Brown, 14. Sean Wainui, 15. Damian McKenzie.
Replacements: 16 Liam Polwart, 17 Karl Tu'inukuafe, 18 Jeff Thwaites, 19 Michael Allardice, 20 Luke Jacobson, 21 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22 Marty McKenzie, 23 Declan O'Donnell.