Rugby Football Union vice president Bryan Williams (left) with Chiefs captain Mils Muliaina during the presentation for his 100th Super Rugby game in 2011. Photo / Dion Mellow / www.photosport.co.nz
Rugby Football Union vice president Bryan Williams (left) with Chiefs captain Mils Muliaina during the presentation for his 100th Super Rugby game in 2011. Photo / Dion Mellow / www.photosport.co.nz
As 2020 comes to a close and the 2021 Sky Super Aotearoa Rugby squads have been announced, this squad is a throwback to 10 years ago when the 2011 Chiefs squad was announced.
This squad was certainly not lacking international experience with 17 All Blacks - past and future ofthe time, two Tongan representatives, a future Australian player, two Manu Samoa players, a Cook Islands player, one future Irish player and a future Japan sevens player.
That year the Chiefs finished 10th overall and the Queensland Reds took out the competition.
Isaac Ross (Tasman), Sona Taumalolo (Hawke's Bay), Ben May (Taranaki/Hurricanes), Sam Cane (Bay of Plenty/Chiefs/All Blacks) and Liam Messam (Waikato) were the only players from this squad to still be playing in New Zealand rugby during 2020.
Richard Kahui is the only player to have a Super Rugby contract in 2021, having already played for Perth-based Western Force in 2020 alongside another former All Black, Jeremy Thrush.
Craig Clarke. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
5. ROMANA GRAHAM
BORN: 1986 CHIEFS CAPS: 19 (2010-2013)
Romana Graham. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
6. LIAM MESSAM*
BORN: 1984 CHIEFS CAPS: 179 (2006-2018)
Liam Messam. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
7. TANERAU LATIMER*
BORN: 1986 CHIEFS CAPS: 108 (2007-2014)
Tanerau Latimer. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
8. FRITZ LEE
BORN: 1988 CHIEFS CAPS: 21 (2011-2013)
Fritz Lee. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
9. BRENDON LEONARD*
BORN: 1985 CHIEFS CAPS: 73 (2007-2013)
Brendon Leonard. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
10. STEPHEN DONALD*
BORN: 1983 CHIEFS CAPS: 106 (2005-2019)
Stephen Donald. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
11. SITIVENI SIVIVATU*
BORN: 1982 CHIEFS CAPS: 89 (2003-2011)
Sitiveni Sivivatu. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
12. DWAYNE SWEENEY
BORN: 1984 CHIEFS CAPS: 69 (2007-2014)
Dwayne Sweeney. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
13. RICHARD KAHUI*
BORN: 1985 CHIEFS CAPS: 60 (2007-2013)
Richard Kahui. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
14. LELIA MASAGA*
BORN: 1986 CHIEFS CAPS: 91 (2006-2013)
Lelia Masaga. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
15. MILS MULIAINA* - Captain
BORN: 1980 CHIEFS CAPS: 61 (2006-2014)
Mils Muliaina. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
Reserves:
16. ALED DE MALMANCHE*
BORN: 1984 CHIEFS CAPS: 62 (2007-2011)
Aled de Malmanche. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
17. BEN MAY
BORN: 1982 CHIEFS CAPS: 33 (2008-2011)
Ben May. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
18. TOBY SMITH*
BORN: 1988 CHIEFS CAPS: 37 (2010-2013)
Toby Smith. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
19. ISAAC ROSS*
BORN: 1984 CHIEFS CAPS: 11 (2011)
Issac Ross. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
20. SCOTT WALDROM*
BORN: 1980 CHIEFS CAPS: 14 (2011-2012)
Scott Waldrom. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
21. TAWERA KERR-BARLOW*
BORN: 1990 CHIEFS CAPS: 83 (2011-2017)
Tawera Kerr-Barlow. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
22. MIKE DELANY*
BORN: 1982 CHIEFS CAPS: 28 (2009-2011)
Mike Delany. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
23. TIM NANAI-WILLIAMS*
BORN: 1989 CHIEFS CAPS: 69 (2007-2014)
Tim Nanai-Williams. Photo / David Wheadon / Sportpix.co.nz
Other members of the initial 2011 squad: Colin Bourke, Dan Perrin, Culum Retallick, Ben Afeaki*, Hayden Triggs, Taniela Moa*, Save Tokula, Jackson Willison, Tana Umaga*.
Later squad additions: Sam Cane*, Matt Vant Leven, Stephen Setephano*, Taiasina Tuifua*.
To take part in the annual 2021 Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa picksters competition in the Te Awamutu Courier, email NZME's Tania King on tania.king@nzme.co.nz
