SUPER RUGBY – FULL ROUND 13 PREVIEW !

COMPLETE SRP Round 13 teams:

Friday

Moana Pasifika vs Crusaders, 5.05pm (AEST) – 7.05pm (NZT)

• The Crusaders have won each of their two previous Super Rugby Pacific games against Moana Pasifika by margins of 17 points or more on the day, including a 38-21 win when they met earlier this campaign (Round 7, 2023).
• Moana Pasifika have lost their last six Super Rugby Pacific games on home turf, conceding 40+ points in each of their last five home games in the competition.
• Moana Pasifika have lost their last 11 straight games against teams from New Zealand in Super Rugby Pacific, losing by an average margin of 29 points per game across that stretch.
• The Crusaders will be looking to avoid defeat in back-to-back away games within a single Super Rugby season for the first time since March 2018 after succumbing to a 24-34 loss to the Chiefs in their last fixture on the road.
• Moana Pasifika have received 11 cards (10 yellow, 1 red) throughout the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season which is more than any other team in the competition while no team has been shown fewer cards than the Crusaders (3 – 3 yellow, 0 red).
• The Crusaders have gained 209 metres from mauls this Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any team in the competition and 149 more than Moana Pasifika; in fact, only the Fijian Drua (21m) have made fewer metres from mauls than Moana Pasifika (60m).
• Moana Pasifika have made 11 offloads per game this Super Rugby Pacific season, the second-most of any team in the competition and three per game more than the Crusaders (8).
• Fine Inisi (Moana Pasifika) has scored three tries across his last two Super Rugby Pacific appearances despite playing only 43 minutes of game time across that period.
• Miracle Failagi (Moana Pasifika) has made six line breaks throughout the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season, the joint-second most of any forward in the competition behind only the Queensland Reds’ Harry Wilson (7).
• Macca Springer (Crusaders) has scored three tries across his last two starts in Super Rugby Pacific, including a brace of tries in his Round 11 start against the Western Force.

Moana Pasifika (1-15): Abraham Pole, Samiuela Moli, Chris Apoua, Michael Curry, Mike McKee, Miracle Faiilagi, Alamanda Motuga, Solomone Funaki (c), Ereatara Enari, Christian Lealiifano, Neria Foma’i, Levi Aumua, Fine Inisi, Tima Fainga’anuku, William Havili.

Replacements: Luteru Tolai, Ezekiel Lindnemuth, Sosefo ‘Apikotoa, Mahonri Ngakuru, Jonah Mau’u, Jonathan Taumateine, Henry Taefu, Timoci Tavatavanawai.

Crusaders (1-15): Kershawl Sykes-Martin, Brodie McAlister, Tamaiti Williams, Scott Barrett (c), Zach Gallagher, Sione Havili Talitui, Corey Kellow, Cullen Grace, Noah Notham, Fergus Burke, Macca Springer, Dallas McLeod, Jack Goodhue, Chay Fihaki, Will Jordan.

RESERVES: Ioane Moananu, Andrew Turner, Seb Calder, Dom Gardiner, Christian Lio-Willie, Mitchell Drummond, Taha Kemara, Wil Gualter.

Referee: Reuben Keane.

Reds vs Blues, 7.35pm (AEST) – 9.35 (NZT)

• The Blues have lost only one of their last seven Super Rugby games against the Queensland Reds (W5 D1) and haven’t conceded more than 30 points in a game against the Reds since May 2011 (lost 37-31).
• The Blues picked up a seven-point win in their last away game against the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby (31-24, Round 4 2021 Super Rugby Trans-Tasman), snapping a five-game winless run in such fixtures (D1 L4).
• The Queensland Reds have lost six of their last nine games at home in Super Rugby Pacific (W3) after having lost only two of their 19 games at home prior (W17).
• The Blues will be looking to avoid consecutive defeats in Super Rugby for the first time since April 2021 after succumbing to a 3-15 loss to the Crusaders in Round 12 in what was just the third time in their history that they’ve scored no more than three points in a game in the competition.
• The Blues have won 15 of their last 16 games against teams from Australia in Super Rugby competitions (L1) including their last three on the bounce; in fact, they’ve scored 50+ points in each of their last two such fixtures.
• The Queensland Reds have made 25 kicks in play per game in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any Australian team in the competition and the third-most of any team overall.
• The Blues have made 14 entries per game into the attacking 22m zone in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any team in the competition and three per game more than the Queensland Reds (11).
• Finlay Christie (Blues) has won six turnovers throughout the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season, the joint-most of any scrum half in the competition alongside the Highlanders’ Folau Fakatava.
• Tate McDermott (Queensland Reds) has made 5 line breaks and 29 tackle breaks in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season; among scrum halves only the Hurricanes’ Cam Roigard (9 line breaks, 32 tackle breaks) has made more in either category.
• Caleb Clarke (Blues) has made 18 line breaks throughout the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any player in the competition; he’s made at least one line break in eight of his 10 appearances this campaign.

Reds (1-15): George Blake, Richie Asiata, Sef Fa’agase, Angus Blyth, Connor Vest, Liam Wright, Fraser McReight, Seru Uru, Tate McDermott, Lawson Creighton, Filipo Daugunu, Taj Annan, Josh Flook, Suliasi Vunivalu, Jock Campbell.

Replacements: Matt Faessler, Dane Zander, Zane Nonggorr, Ryan Smith, Harry Wilson, Kalani Thomas, Tom Lynagh, Mac Grealy.

Replacements: Kurt Eklund, Josh Fusitu’a, Nepo Laulala, James Tucker, Anton Segner, Taufa Funaki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens.

Referee: Jordan Way

Saturday

Highlanders vs Rebels, 2.35pm (AEST) – 4.35pm (NZT)

• The Melbourne Rebels have won three of their last four Super Rugby games against the Highlanders (L1) including a 31-30 win when they last met (Round 15, 2022); although, they had won only one of all their seven meetings prior to that four-game stretch (L6).
• The Highlanders have won five of their six previous home games against the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby competitions (L1), scoring 40+ points in four of those fixtures on the day.
• The Highlanders have lost eight of their 12 Super Rugby Pacific games at home (W4) including their last two in a row; the last time they lost more successive games as hosts was a three-game stretch from February to April in the 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign.
• The Highlanders have lost five of their last six Super Rugby Pacific games against teams from Australia (W1) including their last three in a row; the last time they lost more in succession against Australian clubs was a six-game stretch from 2012 to 2014.
• The Melbourne Rebels have lost 13 of their last 15 Super Rugby games when playing as the away team on the day (W2), defeating only the Western Force (Round 8, 2022) and Moana Pasifika (Round 10, 2023) in that term.
• The Highlanders have made 141 tackles per game this Super Rugby Pacific season, the second-most of any team in the competition and 10 per game more than the Melbourne Rebels (131); the Highlanders have also made the most dominant tackles (10.3) per game of any team this season.
• The Melbourne Rebels have carried for 535 metres per game in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any Australian team in the competition and the third-most overall; only the NSW Waratahs (422m) have carried for fewer metres per game than the Highlanders (427m).
• Monty Ioane (Melbourne Rebels) has made 112 carries in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season, the second-most of any player in the competition and 13 more than any Highlanders player; he has also crossed for a try in two of his last three games in the competition.
• Jona Nareki (Highlanders) has scored seven tries across his last nine starts in Super Rugby as well as making one try assist in that period; he also scored one try in his last game against the Melbourne Rebels in the competition (Round 3, 2021).
• Carter Gordon (Melbourne Rebels) has been directly involved in six tries a

Highlanders (1-15): Ethan de Groot, Andrew Makalio, Jermaine Ainsley, Shannon Frizell, Max Hicks, Sean Withy, Billy Harmon (c), Hugh Renton, Aaron Smith, Freddie Burns, Jona Nareki, Sam Gilbert, Fetuli Paea, Jonah Lowe, Connor Garden-Bachop.

Replacements: Rhys Marshall, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Saula Ma’u, Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, James Lentjes, Folau Fakatava, Mitch Hunt, Thomas Umaga-Jensen.

Rebels (1-15): Matt Gibbon, Alex Mafi, Sam Talakai, Josh Canham, Matt Philip, Vaiolini Ekuasi, Brad Wilkin (c), Richard Hardwick, Ryan Louwrens, Reece Hodge, Monty Ioane, Stacey Ili, Lukas Ripley, Lachlan Anderson, Andrew Kellaway.

Replacements: Jordan Uelese, Isaac Aedo Kailea, Pone Fa’amausili, Trevor Hosea, Tamati Ioane, James Tuttle, Nick Jooste, Joe Pincus.

Chiefs vs Hurricanes, 5.05pm (AEST) – 7.05pm (NZT)

• The Chiefs have won their last four games on the bounce against the Hurricanes in Super Rugby which is as many as they had won in their 14 meetings against them prior (W4 D1 L9); neither team has ever won more than four successive iterations of this fixture.
• None of the Chiefs’ last eight home games against the Hurricanes in Super Rugby have been decided by a margin of more than eight points on the day; although, the Chiefs have won only one of their last four such fixtures (D1 L2).
• The Chiefs will be looking to avoid back-to-back defeats in Super Rugby Pacific for the first time since the 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa final after being defeated 22-25 by the Queensland Reds in their last fixture.
• The Chiefs have won seven of their last eight home games in Super Rugby Pacific (L1); although, they’ve scored more than three tries in a game in only one of their last four games as hosts on the day.
• The Hurricanes have won four of their last five games as the away team on the day in Super Rugby Pacific (L1), conceding an average of just 17 points per game across that term.
• The Chiefs (11) and Hurricanes (10) have scored the most and joint-second most tries respectively from possession begun with a turnover won in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season.
• The Chiefs (94%) and Hurricanes (93%) have the highest success rate at exiting their defensive 22m zone of any team sin the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season; although, no team has opted to kick out of their 22m zone more times than the Hurricanes (103) this season.
• The Hurricanes have made 29 tackle breaks per game in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any team in the competition and two per game more than the Chiefs (27), who have made the third-most of any team.
• Etene Nanai-Seturo (Chiefs) has scored three tries in his last three Super Rugby Pacific games but has never scored a try from his previous seven career games against the Hurricanes.
• The Queensland Reds’ Fraser McReight (18) is the only player to have won more turnovers in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season than Hurricanes’ duo Ardie Savea (13) and Du’Plessis Kirifi (12).

Chiefs (1-15): Aidan Ross, Samisoni Taukei’aho, George Dyer, Brodie Retallick, Tupou Vaa’i, Pita Gus Sowakula, Sam Cane (co-c) Luke Jacobson, Brad Weber (co-c), Damian McKenzie, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Anton Lienert-Brown, Alex Nankivell, Emoni Narawa, Shaun Stevenson.

Replacements: Tyrone Thompson, Ollie Norris, John Ryan, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Simon Parker, Cortez Ratima, Josh Ioane, Rameka Poihipi.

Hurricanes (1-15): Xavier Numia, Jacob Devery, Owen Franks, James Blackwell, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Devan Flanders, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Brayden Iose, Cam Roigard, Aidan Morgan, Kini Naholo, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Billy Proctor, Julian Savea, Josh Moorby.

Replacements: Hame Faiva, Tevita Mafileo, Pasilio Tosi, Justin Sangster, Caleb Delany, Jamie Booth, Riley Hohepa, Salesi Rayasi.

Waratahs vs Drua, 7.35pm (AEST) – 9.35pm (NZT)

• This will be the fourth meeting between the NSW Waratahs and Fijian Drua in Super Rugby Pacific and the second this season; the ‘Tahs have won all three previous encounters by an average margin of 28 points per game.
• The NSW Waratahs have won their last three games on the bounce in Super Rugby Pacific; the last time they won more in succession in Super Rugby competitions was a four-game streak from March to April in 2018.
• The NSW Waratahs have won their last three consecutive games at home in Super Rugby Pacific, restricting their opposition to 20 points or fewer in each of those three games.
• The Fijian Drua have not scored 20 points in three of their last four games in Super Rugby Pacific after reaching that mark in each of their five games in the competition prior.
• The Fijian Drua have lost nine of their last 10 Super Rugby Pacific games against teams from Australia with a 38-28 win over the Melbourne Rebels in Round 6 this season their only success in that term.
• The NSW Waratahs have scored four tries from possession begun with a lineout steal in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season, more than any other team in the competition; the Fijian Drua are yet to score a try via this method.
• The Fijian Drua have scored seven tries on possession begun with a penalty tap this Super Rugby Pacific season, the joint-most of any team in the competition while no team has scored fewer tries via this method than the NSW Waratahs (1).
• No team has a lower success rate at exiting their own 22m defensive area in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific than the Fijian Drua (85%) and NSW Waratahs (85%).
• Jed Holloway (NSW Waratahs) has stolen nine lineouts this Super Rugby Pacific season, two more than any other player in the competition.
• Iosefo Masi (Fijian Drua) has been directly involved in one try in four of his last five appearances in Super Rugby Pacific, scoring two tries and making two try assists in that term.

Waratahs (1-15): Te Tera Faulkner, David Porecki, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Jed Holloway, Hugh Sinclair, Will Harris, Michael Hooper, Langi Gleeson, Jake Gordon, Ben Donaldson, Dylan Pietsch, Joey Walton, Izaia Perese, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Max Jorgensen.

Replacements: Mahe Vailanu, Nephi Leatigaga, Archer Holz, Ned Hanigan, Taleni Seu, Charlie Gamble, Teddy Wilson, Harry Wilson.

Drua (1-15): Haereiti Hetet, Tevita Ikanivere, Jone Koroiduadua, Isoa Nasilasila, Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, Joseva Tamani, Vilive Miramira, Meli Derenalagi (c), Peni Matawalu, Caleb Muntz, Taniela Rakuro, Kalaveti Ravouvou, Iosefo Masi, Selestino Ravutaumada, Ilaisa Droasese.

Replacements: Zuriel Togiatama, Emosi Tuqiri, Mesake Doge, Etonia Waqa, Elia Canakaivata, Philip Baselala, Kemu Valetini, Apisalome Vota.

Force vs Brumbies, 10pm (AEST) – 12.00am Sunday (NZT)

• The ACT Brumbies have won their last 14 consecutive games against the Western Force in Super Rugby competitions, last losing to them in Round 20 of the 2013 campaign (21-15); it is the longest winning streak of any team against another in the history of the competition.
• The Western Force have won five of their last six Super Rugby Pacific games at home (L1) including their last three on the bounce; the last time they won more in succession at home was a five-game streak from March to May in 2014.
• The Western Force have won only one of their last nine Super Rugby Pacific games against teams from Australia (L8) while the ACT Brumbies have won 10 of their last 11 games against fellow Australian sides.
• The ACT Brumbies have won four of their last six games away from home in Super Rugby Pacific (L2) and have won all three of their away games against teams from Australia in 2023.
• The Western Force have conceded 12.4 penalties per game in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any team in the competition, while no team has conceded fewer penalties per game than the ACT Brumbies (9.2).
• The ACT Brumbies have scored 3.1 points per entry into the attacking 22m zone this Super Rugby Pacific season, one of only two teams to score three points or more per entry this campaign (Hurricanes – 3.2).
• The ACT Brumbies have scored nine tries from possession begun with a scrum this Super Rugby Pacific season, the joint-most of any team in the competition and more than twice as many as the Western Force (4).
• The Western Force have made 10 kicks from inside their 22m zone per game this Super Rugby Pacific season, the second most of any team in the competition and three per game more than the ACT Brumbies (7).
• Manasa Mataele (Western Force) has scored four tries across his four career appearances against the ACT Brumbies in Super Rugby, including two tries in his most recent game against them (Round 6, 2022).
• Rob Valetini (ACT Brumbies) has made 111 carries and 116 tackles in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season, making him one of only two players to have made 100+ carries and 100+ tackles this campaign (also Harry Wilson – 157 carries, 121 tackles).

Force (1-15): Angus Wagner, Folau Fainga’a, Tom Robertson, Felix Kalupu, Jeremy Williams, Michael Wells, Carlo Tizzano, Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Max Burey, Manasa Mataele, Hamish Stewart, Sam Spink, Zach Kibirige, Chae Tiatia.

Replacements: Tom Horton, Marley Pearce, Siosifa Amone, Tim Anstee, Isi Naisarani, Ian Prior, George Poolman, Toni Pulu.

Brumbies (1-15): Blake Schoupp, Billy Pollard, Rhys Van Nek, Darcy Swain, Tom Hooper, Charlie Cale, Rory Scott, Pete Samu, Ryan Lonergan, Jack Debreczeni,Corey Toole, Tamati Tua, Hudson Creighton, Ollie Sapsford, Andy Muirhead.

Replacements: Connal McInerney, Fred Kaihea, Sefo Kautai, Jack Wright, Luke Reimer, Klayton Thorn, Noah Lolesio, Jesse Mogg.

Referee: Damon Murphy.