Last week’s victory over the Reds saw Damian McKenzie add 13 points to his competition-leading tally of 157.
Chiefs Clayton McMillan believes the Hurricanes have set the pace in this year’s competition and will be formidable opposition again in front of a large and expectant home crowd. The Hurricanes have a well-balanced team, riding high on confidence, and will be a tough nut to crack.
Wallace Sititi’s storming season has earned him a starting spot for the semifinal. Chiefs Clayton McMillan has named an unchanged lineup from the side that defeated the Reds 43-21 in the quarterfinal last weekend.
The Chiefs face a far tougher task in the form of the table-topping Hurricanes, a side they lost to twice in 2024. However, the Chiefs bring more recent playoff experience, with this being the first for the Hurricanes since 2019.
Key areas of focus for the Chiefs this week are accuracy and discipline. They improved significantly against the Reds, enabling them to play the type of game they have always been capable of playing.
It is also encouraging that they have a fit and fresh squad that is chomping at the bit, and for the first time this year, they can name an unchanged matchday 23.
