Former All Black Kevin Schuler is tipping Fiji A to be a different prospect at Mt Maunganui on Wednesday after his Chiefs development side romped to a 50-13 win over Tonga A in their IRB Pacific Cup opener.
The Chiefs scored eight tries to one at a sodden Growers Stadium in
Pukekohe, leading 24-3 at halftime in a surprisingly lopsided hitout.
They play Fiji A at Blake Park on Wednesday at 5pm in their second game.
Chiefs Super 15 players Save Tokula, Richard Kahui, Culum Retallick, Dan Perrin and Ben Afeaki all played a part in the game, giving the development side coached by Schuler and Counties-Manukau's Milton Haig a sizeable lift.
"The guys we had from the Chiefs, and the wider training group, are a relatively experienced bunch and although we went into the game with just a couple of trainings in us we did okay, especially considering the conditions," Schuler said.
The Chiefs side will get five matches this season, with the Pacific Rugby Cup games against the A teams from Tonga, Fiji and Samoa, followed by matches against the Blues and Hurricanes development sides.
Schuler is also working as a resource coach with the Chiefs, with input with the forwards.
He said the side for Mt Maunganui on Wednesday was unlikely to contain many, if any, frontline Super 15 players.
"It'll be a changed team. We've got three games in 10 days and we're not going to ask the same guys to play all three games in 10 days.
"A lot will depend on what Fozzie wants with the Chiefs but it'll be a bonus if he sent any of his guys our way."
Schuler was particularly impressed with the development side's loose forward trio of Taisina Tuifua, Sam Cane and Matt Vant Leven. "Those three set the tone, climbing into the island boys early on with some heavy hits."
Scorers:
Chiefs development 50 (Matt Vant Leven, Phil Burleigh, Jamie Chipman 2, Trent Reneta, Save Tokula, Sam Cane, Taiasina Tuifua tries; Renata 5 cons) Tonga A 13 (Paula Kaho try, Viliami Hakalo con, Edmond Paea 2 pens) Halftime 24-3.
